The Walking Dead But Your Choices Actually Matter
by Duncan.TDI
Summary: The Walking Dead Game is one of my favorite games of all time, but a lot of the choices you make don't make too much of an impact. I'm here to fix that! Also added a relationship system that corresponds to your choices and Lee's status. A voting based fanfic. Currently on season two!
1. A New Day

Lee Everett, a former teacher at UGA, had killed the state senator after he had found him sleeping with his wife. Now, he was on the highway in a cop car, silent and ashamed of himself. The cop had exchanged several glances with Lee, but didn't say anything until just about now.

"Well, I reckon you didn't do it then?" The white, aging officer asked. Lee stared at him for a bit before answering.

"Does it really matter?" He asked with a hint of agression. The officer shrugged and smirked.

"Guess not.. Y'know I've driven a bunch of folks down to this prison, Lord knows how many. Usually is 'bout now I get the 'I didn't do it.'" He said, eyes going from the road to the car mirror.

"Every time?" Lee asked out of curiosity.

"Every time." He responded. Lee stared around the car, realizing that, holy shit, he was going to prison and there was nothing he could do about it. He deserved the time however, and he wanted punishment for his horrible crime. Even the radio was driving him crazy.

The officer interrupted his train of thought by speaking again. "I followed your case a little bit, you being a Macon boy and all."

"You're from Macon, then?" Lee responded, staring at him through the mirror.

"Yup. Came up to Atlanta to be a city cop in the seventies. Always wanted to work a murder case. Like that senatorial mess you got yourself mixed up in, with all due respect. A real shame that is." As the cop finishes, two blaring police cars speed past, drawing Lee's attention to the highway.

"Hell the whole family used to be regulars at your folk's drugstore right in downtown. Still there?" The cop asked.

"Sure is." Lee responded with a small smile, remembering his family who had actually stopped talking to him after the murder went public.

"Good." The officer responded simply, the car being filled with just the sounds of the radio.

"Be advised of medical personnel on route to Hartsfield, various 10's and 20's coming in." The voice spoke into the radio. Lee was actually starting to wonder if the cop even cared.

"Any of that seem important to you?" He asked the driver.

"All of it, but that box never shuts up. Sit in this seat and pay too much attention and you'll drive yourself crazy." He responded, shrugging with annoyance in his voice. He quickly changed the subject. "I got a nephew up in UGA. You teach there long?"

"Going on my sixth year." Lee responded naturally, looking at his cuffs.

"You meet your wife in Athens?" The cop asked, knowing the question was sensitive. Lee looked out the window and frowned. "You wanna know how I see it?" He asked as three police cruisers suddenly zoomed by, sirens blaring. Lee thought of an answer to the cops question before answering.

"Sure." Lee replied simply, not really caring about his opinion. He stared up at the cop through the mirror, glaring at him. The cop opened his mouth to speak before seeing Lee's expression.

"Regardless, could be you just married the wrong woman." The officer stated matter of factually. Lee was about to mutter an insult, but just grumbled angrily instead, lowering his head. A helicopter and two swat cars sped by suddenly and grabbed Lee's attention fully. He thought as the cop continued to drive, what the hell is going on out there?

"I was driving this man much, he-he was the worst one. He wouldn't stop going on about how he didn't do it. He was an older fella, big, soft eyes behind a pair of smart folk glasses. And he's just wailing back there, says it wasn't him, cryin' and snottin' all over right where you're sitting!"

The cop was interrupted by the radio once again, so he shut it off. Lee was a bit concerned of the reports, but continued listening anyways.

"Then before long he starts kicking the back of the seat, like a fussy baby on an airplane. And I tell him he's gotta stop. That's government property, and I'll be forced to zap him otherwise. So he stops, and, having exhausted all of his options, starts crying out for his momma. 'Momma, it's all a big mistake, it wasn't me!'" He dramatically yells out, imitating the criminal.

"So did he do it?" Lee asked out of curiosity.

"They caught the fucker red handed, stabbin' his wife, cutting her up as the boys came through the door. He sits in my car screamin' bloody murder that it wasn't him. I think he actually believed it himself." There was a short pause before the cop finished. "It goes to show, people'll up and go mad when they believe their life is over." Lee noted that and nodded, looking out the windshield. That's when he noticed a silhoutte in the distance, slowly limping into the highway. The cop kept driving, however, and didn't notice what was in front of him.

"I got another good one for ya. This one's a little bit less depressing and a bit more hilarious if I do say so. This other time-"

"Fucking drive!-" Lee screamed at the officer, who's eyes returned to the road too late. He crashed right into the pedestrian, knocking him unconsious before the car spun out off of the highway. The car flipped off of a hill and landed into a tree, the final crash knocking out Lee and stopping the car.

Hours later, Lee awoke to find himself still in the car with a painful headache and a dry throat. "Thirsty…" he remarked, looking at his cuffs. Then he felt a sharp cut in his leg, hissed in pain and looked to the wound. "Ah, fuck.. My leg.." He groaned out lowly, looking around for a way out.

When he looked behind him, he saw the officer, dead on the ground with his gun a fair ways away from his body. "Hey.. Hey officer, are you alright? I'm still cuffed back here!.. Why the hell did he have his gun out?" Lee questioned, looking in front of himself now to see any other option. He noticed the cracked window and began kicking at it. Eventually, it broke and Lee was able to crawl his way out of the space and onto the ground. He remained there, trying to recover from the injury on his leg but he eventually got up and leaned against the cop car, gasping as blood splashed from his leg to the floor. In time he was able to get off of the car and move to the dead body. After all, Lee needed to get these cuffs off.

He looked down and shook his head at a closer look at the dead police-man, crouching down and retrieving the keys from his pocket. He attempted to unlock himself but the keys slipped and landed next to the corpses head. "Shit!" Lee whispered, a bit shaken up. He slowly grabbed the keys again, trembling until he was able to finally get the cuffs off. He breathed a sigh of relief, but something caught the former teacher off guard; a low grumble that seemed to come from the body.. "O-officer..?" Lee whispered, backing away slowly before the corpse reanimated itself and tackled the man to the ground. "Ah! Holy shit!" He screamed, backing away as quickly as he could, the cop crawling towards him while growling and moaning.

"What in the hell..?! What the fuck are you?!" Lee was cornered as he hit the cop car. He looked around for a way out of this and remembered the officers shotgun. He grabbed it, as well as a bullet, but dropped the shell to the ground in his panic. He scrambled to get the bullet, "Don't make me do this!" he exclaimed to the undead cop who continued to crawl. Seeing no other option, he aimed for his head and pulled the trigger, his pale, balding head popping like a balloon.

Lee sat there for a few seconds, gasping for air as the cop dropped dead, for good this time. He tossed the gun before noticing how late it was, it was getting close to dusk. That's when a small silhouette caught his eye from afar. Naturally, Lee was panicked and waved his arm in the air. "Help! Go get someone. Th-there's been a shooting!" The shadow on the hill walked away, and the sound of grumbling returned behind the cop car. Lee looked to the direction of the noise and spotted more of the corpses walking towards him.

With the rest of his strength and fear, Lee got up and began limping away, only to trip over the rotting cops body. The monsters were closing in, so Lee got up and tried to go faster again, as more and more of them started coming out of the woodwork's. More growling faces, dead bodies that he hadn't noticed before and plenty of awful scents. Lee got caught up in it and almost tripped again, this time over a hill. His balance returned to him and he was able to make it over. He found a fence waiting for him and climbed it just as the ghouls were creeping up behind him.

Once he had climbed over, he crawled his way away from the fence which was being banged on heavily. Lee was panting like a mad man and panicking for his life until a gun shot was heard, followed by two more. The banging stopped and the convict was brought back to his feet, wiping sweat from his forehead. Turning around, he saw a house and realized just how close to society he really was.

"Hello..? Anybody..?" No response, and so Lee decided to get help from the people in the house. After all, there was a figure earlier near the fence. Unless he was seeing things..

Lee climbed the stairs to the porch, looking up at the tree house and shaking his head, 'What if a kid turned into one of those things?' He thought before groaning and finally knocking on the door. "Hello? Anybody home?" knock, knock, "I need a little help." He tried looking inside but the glass appeared dirty and blurry. What he could see was a flashing red light. He decided to knock again, he needed help for his leg.

"Hello? Ah, something's going on…" He knocked once more, to no response. At this point, he had to come in. So, he gripped the handle and pulled the sliding door open. "Comin' in.. Don't shoot, okay?" After a few seconds of silence he walked inside.

Upon entering, Lee's closed the door behind him before reaching to his leg in pain. "Ah, shit.. Hello? I'm not an intruder. Or one of them.." The house was a mess. Furniture was piled up against the wall, the answering machine was untouched, it reeked of something awful, and the TV had no signal. "These people might need more help than I do.." He muttered to himself, limping to the kitchen to find a first aid, or something to help. On his way, however, he ended up slipping on a puddle of blood and landing on his side. This place was starting to creep him out even more. What could have happened?

He got up, spotting a paper cup. In excitement, he leaned on a counter and drank the entire cup, gasping in satisfaction as his throat cleared. Then, he started searching the drawers . Alas, no medicine but he did find a walkie talkie. He decided to pocket it for now, it could prove useful. Suddenly, the answering machine started beeping. Finally, maybe an answer to his problem. Before heading to the machine, he noticed a piece of paper on the fridge and began reading it. "Hmm.. The Marsh House. That's a Savannah area code. But that's the type of note you'd leave a babysitter.." He took another glance at the beeping message box and finally activated it.

An automated voice said, "Three new messages. Message one, left at 5:43 PM." Then, a female began talking

"Hey, Sandra, this is Diana, we're still in Savannah. Ed had a little incident with some crazy guy near the hotel so we had to get him back to the ER and get it checked out. Anyway, he's not feeling well enough to drive back tonight, so we're staying an extra day. Thanks so much for looking after Clementine and I promise we'll be back in time before your spring break!"

The automated voice spoke again. "Message two, left at 11:19 PM" Lee could already tell by his surroundings, this didn't have a happy ending.

"Oh my god, finally! I don't know if you tried to reach us, all the calls are getting dropped. They're not letting us leave and they're not telling us anything about Atlanta. Please, please, just leave the city and take Clementine with you back to Marietta, I've gotta get back to the hospital. Please let us know that you're safe." The mother sounded panicked and rightfully so.

"Message three, left at 6:51 AM." The robotic voice spoke.

"Clementine, baby? If you can hear this, call the police. That's 9-1-1.. We love you.. We love you.. We love y-" The message was cut short. The sound quality was grainy and static-y. The woman, Diana, was in tears by the end of it. Lee picked up a photo of the family and frowned.

"Daddy?" A sweet, innocent voice asked from the walkie talkie. Lee, surprised, took it out and pressed down on the communication button.

"Hello?" He replied.

"You need to be quiet." The girl whispered back.

"Who is this?" Lee asked.

"I'm Clementine, this is my house." She responded.

Lee was relieved, at least the child was alive."Hi, Clementine.. I'm Lee." He introduced himself.

"You're not my daddy." Clementine stated, disappointment in her voice.

"No.. I'm not." He said, sighing. Then, he walked back into the kitchen, this time avoiding the pool of blood. "Where are you?"

"I'm outside in my tree house. They can't get in." Clem answered.

"That's smart." Lee commented with a smile, looking out the window.

"See?" She opens the door to her tree house, waving at the teacher. "Can you see me? I can see you through the window." Lee waves back, smiling wide at her. Suddenly, the girl screams and a groan is heard behind Lee. He turns around, only to find a female corpse attacking him. He manages to pull her off, heavily breathing from the shock before trying to bolt away. Unfortunately, Lee managed to slip on the blood once again and right on his back.

The reanimated Sandra begins crawling toward Lee. He forces his foot into her face and gets back up, trying to run again only to be pulled back to the floor by the zombified babysitter. She pulls on his ankle and attempts to get a bite of his brown skin, but Lee is able to punch the creature in the jaw, knocking it back. He continued to crawl backwards, and that's when Clementine came to the rescue.

"Here..!" She alerted Lee to her presence, giving him the yellow weapon just as Sandra climbed on top of him. The convicted murderer began bashing her face in, switching positions so that he was on top of her. He continued bashing her face until she was nothing but mush and teeth.

"Man… Hi there." Lee muttered, wiping sweat off his forehead as blood began to pool around them.

"Did you kill it..?" Clem asked, stepping away.

"Yes.." He panted out, rising to his feet again.

"It's okay. I think she was a monster." Clem said with a bit of uncertainty.

"I think so too." Lee reassured.

Lee kneeled down to Clementine's eye-level. "You've been all by yourself through this?" He asked, looking in her eyes for some innocence, and luckily what she had just seen didn't ruin her.

"Yeah. I want my parents to come home now." She answered, twiddling her thumbs.

"I think that.. Might be a little while, you know?" Lee said.

"Oh…" Clem said sadly, looking down. Lee got closer and gave her a sympathetic look.

"Look, I don't know what happpened, but I'll look after you until then." He promised, putting a hand on her shoulder. Clementine nodded.

"What should we do now?" Clem asked, and now you have to decide what comes next.

We need to look for help before it gets dark.

Or

Let's wait until night to leave.

((Relationships:

Clementine trusts you

Your family is distant

Your wife hates you

The police officer liked you, at least a little

Vote in the reviews section, whichever option gets more votes by Saturday wins.))


	2. New Faces

((Last time, you guys chose to go before dark. From here on chapters will be a lot more bite sized and released every day. Enjoy!))

"We need to find help before it gets dark." Lee said, looking at the dusk from outside.

"Yeah, it's not safe at night.." Clementine agreed, watching Lee stand up from the floor. He held her hand and smiled at her.

"Let's go. Stay close to me." Lee told her, opening the sliding door. The air felt just as dirty as it did a couple of minutes prior. Clementine led Lee to the back gate and he limped behind her until he noticed two men pushing a car in the middle of the street, or at least trying to.

"Aw, man. I ain't never getting home to momma at this rate." Chet, the bigger man told his friend.

"This sucks.." Shawn, the skinnier of the two responded, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Yeah, it's hot dish night." Chet added, continuing to push, but to no avail. Lee feels a bit luckier after seeing the men and is ready to head out, but checks with Clementine.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asks, kneeling down.

"Should I stay?" Clementine asked her now guardian.

"What?"

"I don't want to sleep in the treehouse tonight, but I don't know if I should leave. What if my parents come home?" The question lingered a bit before Lee answered.

"I won't leave you alone." He reassured, causing her to smile.

"Let's go somewhere safe that's close, okay?" Clementine said as Lee rised back up.

"That's a good idea." He replied, opening the gate and limping toward the two boys with Clem right behind him. "Hey, man!" Lee called out, startling the boys.

"Holy shit!" Shawn covered his body with his arms.

"Don't eat us!" Chet pleaded, still not understanding the walkers.

"We're not gonna hurt you." Lee calmed, raising his hands in defense of himself and the girl.

"Oh thank god, for a second there I thought you and the little one were both gonna give us the chomp." Shawn sighed.

"Do you know what the hell this is?" Lee asked the men who shrugged.

"No clue. So you've seen them then?" Shawn looks over at a dead walker, shivers running down his back. "I'm Shawn, Shawn Greene." He introduced.

"I'm Chet." The man kneeled down at Clementine and waved. Clementine smiles at Chet and he gets up.

"Look, we shouldn't be out in the open like this. How about you help us move these cars out of the wave and we can get you and your daughter out of here." Shawn proposes, looking around for any more of the dead.

"I'm uh..

I'm her Dad, yeah.

I'm actually just some guy

I'm just the babysitter

…

((Relationship stats:

Clementine trusts you

Chet and Shawn just met you))


	3. Where To?

"Just some guy." Lee told Shawn, being completely transparent.

"Wait, she's alone?" Shawn asked worriedly, looking down at the girl. Lee nodded. Suddenly, walkers began to approach the group in their slow, yet creepy fashion. "Let's get outta here, staying out too long is a bad idea."

"Hey, them monsters are coming. We gotta go." Chet whispered, beginning to push the cars in the way. Lee and Clem joined him while Shawn got the car started. After much effort, the three were able to clear the path and joined Shawn in the truck, speeding off before the monsters could get to 'em.

"For just some guy, it seems like you saved a bunch of lives today." Shawn said to Lee, smirking as they turned to the next road, away from the dead.

After a couple minutes, Shawn looked down to Lee's leg and noticed the wound. "Yikes, I saw you limping. What happened?"

"Car accident. Was before I met the girl, she's okay." Lee responded.

"Ah, good. How'd you like to come to our farm? My Dad can treat that and you and your girl could spend the night, if you'd like." Shawn proposed, however other options were on Lee's mind.

Sure, that'd be great.

Could you take us to my family's drugstore?

I'll ask the girl


	4. The Greene Farm

Lee looked down at Clementine and considered his options. Although her parents sounded like dead meat, what if they weren't? "What do you wanna do, Clem?" He asked, the girl next to him. She glanced down at his open wound and then up at Shawn.

"Is the farm far?" She asked. The man looked at her for a second and let out a hum as he thought about that.

"Maybe half an hour or more away, so yeah, kinda." He answered.

"Well, I think we should go anyways. Your leg looks really bad, Lee." Clem pointed out, cringing as she caught sight of it once again.

"You ain't wrong, girl. Alright, we'll hang around for the night." Lee concluded, nodding his head.

"It's a plan then. Sit tight, it'll be night soon." Shawn told them, picking up speed as they passed a walker family on the sidewalk.

* * *

Fifty or so minutes later and they had made it. The farm was a nice, big plot of land with a huge house and a small but quaint barn. They stopped just outside the gate and left the car.

"Hey, Shawn. I'ma run on home, mama's probably in a snit." Chet told his friend.

"No sweat, man. I'll catch ya tomorrow night." Shawn said goodbye as Chet looks down at Clem and smiles.

"It was nice to meet you both." With that, the large man left for his house. Lee waved goodbye when the door to the house opened, an old country man stepping out.

"Thank God you're okay." The man said, hugging Shawn. This must have been his father.

"Was worried it'd be bad here, too." Shawn replied, hugging back before pulling away.

"Been quiet as usual the past couple days. Ol' Breckon down the way thinks his mare's gone lame but that ain't nothing new. You've uh, brought a couple of guests." He said with suspicion.

"Yeah, without them and Chet, I wouldn't be here." Shawn said, smiling at the pair. Clem hid behind Lee's leg.

"We just need a place to stay the night, and my leg needs fixing." Lee explained, the man nodded.

"You're welcome to stay but just for the night, I don't run a bed and breakfast. So, it's just you and your daughter, or should I expect a wife?" He asked, Lee tightened his fist and sighed.

"Nah, not his daughter, he's just, well.. Some guy who found her all by herself. He saved our lives back in the streets." Shawn vouched. The man kneeled down to Clementine.

"Honey, is that true?" He asked the girl.

She hesitated a bit before answering. "Yes."

"Okay then." He nodded, getting back up. "Now, about that leg, follow me. And Shawn, run on in and check on your sister. Take a seat on the porch and I'll see what I got." The two found themselves on the house's porch, and Lee took a seat on a wooden chair. Shawn and his father went inside while Clem stood on the stairs.

The old man comes back with bandages, stitches and alchohol. Clementine gasped and Lee looked a little scared himself. "Let me take a look.. Yeah, this is swollen to hell." He commented, kneeling down as he inspected Lee's knee.

"Could be worse, right?" Lee responded, gritting his teeth as the alchohol was slowly applied. The pain was bad but it was better than getting it infected.

"That's what it sounds like. Seems like things got awful bad in the cities." After a couple of minutes, The man prepared the stitches, luckily it didn't hurt as bad as the cleaning. Midway through the man asked him a question. "What'd you say your name was?" He asked, looking up at Lee momentarily.

A. Be honest with him

B. Lie to his face

C. Keep quiet

Relationships:

Clementine likes you

Shawn respects you and sees you as a friend.

The old man is skeptical of you, but welcoming.

((Please review to decide the next choice and thanks for reading!))


	5. Surgery With Hershel Greene

"The name's Lee." He responded, looking directly at the man to avoid a glimpse of the stitching process.

"Nice to meet you, Lee. I'm Hershel Greene." Hershel appreciated his honesty and continued to work. "I don't think I caught your name, darlin'" He looked back to Clem, waiting for an answer.

"Clem-Clementine.." She meekly replied, looking at Lee for a few seconds before hanging her head. Hershel nodded and got back to work.

"So, how'd this happen?" He asked Lee, referring to the cut.

"I was in a car getting out of Atlanta and we hit some guy out in the road. It was a helluva accident." Lee explained, watching the stitches get put away as the bandages came out.

"We? The girl?" He asked more concernedly.

"Nah, police officer. He was giving me a ride." He explained further, adding: "He uh, didn't make it."

"Damn.. Still, can't imagine what you've been through, Clementine." He muttered, shaking his head.

"I'm staying with her 'till we find her parents." Lee said, trailing off as Shawn came back out. The two looked at each other and nodded.

"So, Dad, I'm thinkin' as soon as we get up, we gotta reinforce the fence. With those things out there it's too dangerous not to."

"That doesn't seem necessary." Hershel denied. Shawn wholeheartedly disagreed.

"Your son's right, you're gonna wanna fortify this place" Lee confirmed, covering Shawn.

"Whatever you heard on the radio or the TV pales in comparison to seeing them walk around like that and eat.. corpses." He whispered in a frustrated tone.

"Stuff like that doesn't happen around here, Shawn." He replied simply, patting down the bandage.

"Dad, I'm serious! Lee, c'mon, tell him what you saw out there, man." Both men's eyes were on Lee. All the shit he saw today was horrifying.

"I got chased by a couple of dead people. My friend, he turned and I had to shoot him." Lee warned Hershel, getting the point across.

"Fine, but we have enough chores as it is." He allowed, Shawn mouthed a 'thanks' to Lee.

"Lee and those folks in the barn can help in the morning before they go. But we gotta do this."

"I already said okay." Hershel replied, Shawn walked back inside. "Well, I'm all done here, your leg should feel better by tomorrow."

"Thank you, seriously." Lee said, a soft smile on his face.

"You're very welcome. Now, if the swelling doesn't go down and you start feeling hot you're probably dealing with an infection." Hershel informed Lee as he got up, slowly but surely.

"What do we do then?" He asked, a bit of worry on his face.

"We'll probably just have to shoot you." Hershel jokes, causing Clementine to gasp. "We'll reclean it, apply some antibiotics, redress it and you'll be fine." He answered truthfully with a smile.

"Okay, that'd be preferable." Lee nodded.

"There's blankets and such in the barn. Y'all gotta get up bright and early. Speaking of which, where are you headed tomorrow?" He asked, approaching the door to his house.

"Towards Macon, I suppose." Lee replied honestly.

Hershel nods, turns to Clem and smiles before going inside.

"He seems nice, I like him." Clementine said with a smile, running up to Lee's side.

* * *

Later, the two found themselves in the barn, trying to sleep.

"It smells like.." Clem pondered with a grimace.

Shit

Manure

You know..

...

Relationships:

Clementine likes you and trusts you, she'll try to be honest, too.

Shawn thinks you're the best guy he's found in this apocalypse.

Hershel believes you and is warming up to you.

Chet thought you guys were cool.


	6. Early To Rise

"..Shit." Lee finished without realizing what he said. A gasp soon followed from the girl. "Sorry, shouldn't talk like that." It was easy to forget who he was talking to in this situation.

"That was a swear!" She scolded, the man smiling as he shook his head, looking up at the barn's roof. "I miss my Mom and Dad.." Clem whispered, cuddling her blankets.

"I know, Clem."

"How far is Savannah?"

"Pretty far."

"Oh.."

"Try to get some sleep. You're gonna need it." Lee finished, closing his eyes and after a while, succumbing to sleep. In his dreams, he could hear the voice of his sweet, yet disloyal wife before the gunshot. Lee shot up in the middle of the night, gasping for air before going back to sleep.

* * *

"Hey, wake up." A southerner's voice called. Lee got up, groggily opening his eyes as Clem did the same. His wound felt better like Hershel said, and he didn't feel hot so at least he was physically okay.

"I'm itchy.." Clem noted, scratching her arms as she looked up at the man who had awoken them.

"Well, you slept in a barn, little lady. Lucky you don't have spiders in your hair." The man joked, causing Clementine to gasp and search for the insects. "Though I guess your daddy scared them all away, huh?" He looked to Lee, a smile on his face.

"I'm uh, not her dad. The name's Lee." He greeted, giving the man a handshake.

"I'm Kenny." Kenny greeted back, pulling away.

"Dad, we're gonna build a fence! There's a tractor and everything!" A young boy hollered, running back outside in an instant.

"We better get going, or we're not gonna hear the end of it." Kenny told the two, leading them outside with Lee by his side. "That's my son, Ken Jr. We call him Duck, though."

"Dodging or quacking?" Lee asked, inhaling the fresh, warm air.

"Quacking." He simply replied, the boy shouting his father's name again to prove his point. "See?" The two shared a laugh before stopping in place. "Word is you wanna get to Macon."

"My family is from there." Lee replied with a smile.

"Well, that's where I got my family headed. If you'd like, I'd like the company of a guy who can knock a couple of heads in if you get me." Kenny offered. Lee looked down at Clem before deciding on what to do.

"We'll see what happens. Give me some time." Lee responded, Kenny continued forward towards his wife.

"Gotcha. Duck, Kat, this is Lee and, what's the girl's name?"

"Clementine." Lee finished.

"Clementine." Kenny said, nodding at Lee.

"That is a very pretty name." Katjaa smiled at the girl who was clutching to Lee's leg.

"Thanks.." She replied, smiling back. Shawn walked up to the group.

"Duck, wanna help me set up the fence? You can yell at me whenever I take a water break from the tractor." Shawn offered the young boy.

"On the tractor?! Cool!" He cheered, agreeing.

"Duck and I will hop to it." The young man confirmed, the two boys heading toward the tractor. Kenny nodded, allowing this.

"I'm gonna see if I can get the truck working. By the time I'm done, I'm gonna need an answer, alright?" Kenny asked Lee.

"Okay." Lee replied. Kenny nodded and walked over to the truck.

"Don't worry about Clem, I can keep an eye on your girl. I'd like to hear about what grade you're in." Katjaa said, offering a seat for Clem on the hay bail. She looked up at Lee for permission.

"It's okay, I'll be right back. Have a good talk with Katjaa. Thank you." He said, Kat nodded as Lee left to Kenny's side.

"Hey, uh, Kenny. So, what's your family's plan?"

"Get back on down to Lauderdale and let this mess get sorted out. Government'll start handing out shots and the national guard will do its thing. On the odd chance things got too bad, we could hop on my boat, I guess." Kenny explained.

"You have a boat?" Lee asked, raising his brow.

"I'm a commercial fisherman, catching mackerel, dolphins, whatever's biting and paying. Katjaa wouldn't be wild about it, but the boat's not that bad." A boat? Could be a good idea..

"How's your son doing?" Lee asked, changing the subject.

"Good, I think. Katjaa's got a sister up in Memphis; we were coming back from visiting her. We were in a gas station and some guy grabbed my boy. I thought he was kidnapping him. I was on the fucker in about two seconds and... Christ. Just lucky I was there. We saw a lot of bodies before we stumbled upon Hershel's. But we're a tough family, Lee. Ain't nothing gonna faze us." Kenny spoke, focusing his hands on being busy with the truck.

"You sure seem like it.. Need any help?" Lee asks, looking at the truck's engine.

"Nah, I think I got it. Do YOU need any help?" Kenny asks back.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean with that little girl, you know what you're doing? You got kids of your own?"

"Nah, no kids.." He said with a huff, remembering that was the reason his wife cheated in the first place.

"Hm, would've liked one then." Kenny figured from his expression.

Lee left Kenny to his work and approached Clementine and Kat.

"Hey there, girls. You two actually look relaxed." Lee said, looking down at the two.

"I think we're doing just fine. Clementine was just telling me about first grade." Katjaa replied, happily.

"Oh? How was that?" Lee asked, folding his arms.

"It's easy." She responded with a cute smile.

"Well, yeah." Lee chuckled.

"Anyways, it's almost like we didn't see people eating each other. It's nice here at the farm, no?" She answered truthfully, looking around at the country view.

"Yeah.. How'd you make it through the cities?" He asked with a bit of a frown. She sighed.

"Kenny just.. Drove. We passed so many people that needed help, over some and just.. Just.." Katjaa struggled.

"It's okay! You don't need to finish." Lee said for her sake.

"I want to go home tomorrow, but even then I can't take away the things we-the things Duck-went through. Don't you want to go back to the moment before you knew about all of this?" Kat asked, knowing the obvious answer was obvious.

"Of course, who wouldn't? Families and barbecues and beers with good friends. It's what ya live for, y'know?"

"Yes, all of those things." She responded, remembering them fondly.

"With those gone, what's the point? Anyways, let's change the subject." He proposed, thinking of something to talk about. "What do you do when corpses aren't walking around?" He joked, getting a little laugh out of her.

" I am a veterinarian back in Fort Lauderdale-like Hershel here, except more with dogs and cats and not horses. What is it that you do, Lee?"

"I used to teach up at the university of Georgia." He said, wishing he could say it was still his job.

"We need to hope we can go back to our jobs, Lee, back to normal. It can't go on like this." She said with such hope in her voice.

"Yeah, my mistake.." Lee trailed off, deciding not to say anymore.

"We'll all be home soon." She told him, giving him a smile. Lee looked over to Shawn and decided he could try helping him with the fence.

"Hey Shawn, need any help?" He asked the boy, waving at Duck as he did.

"Yeah, totally. If you could cut those 2x4's to length, that'd sure speed things up." Shawn suggested, pointing to the saw and planks. Lee nodded and got to work, cutting as he asked.

"My Dad doesn't know how bad the world is." Shawn told Lee, shaking his head.

"No, he doesn't." Lee agreed; Hershel was tough and stubborn as all hell.

"What did you see? Before you met me. Cause I've seen some pretty fucked up shit." Shawn asked out of curiosity.

"A dead teenage girl tried to eat me, I had to smash her head in with a hammer.." He whispered, cutting the first board.

"Jesus.. I saw a grown man kill a boy. Just, shot him right in the face. He didn't even hesitate, just aimed at the kids head and pulled the trigger." He replied, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Damn." Lee said with sorrow.

"Damn right damn. You don't see things like that, it's not like in the movies."

"They don't fall like you'd think." Lee commented, cutting the second.

"No, they don't. Well, I'm just glad to have this fence built. Dad just wants to keep the family safe and thinks inviting people in is even more dangerous than the epidemic out there. How about yours? Where's your family?" Shawn asks, hammering a nail into the fence.

"My parents are in Macon, with my brother. I hope" Lee said, cutting the third and final plank with a hint of despair.

"Aw, man. I hope so, too." Shawn replied, frowning as he thought of losing his Dad.

"That's probably all I need for now. Thanks, Lee." He said with a nod of his head. Before he left, Lee thanked Shawn.

"And Shawn, thanks for saving me and Clem. Without you or your day, my leg would be fucked." Lee chuckled.

"No problem, Lee. Couldn't leave you behind." Shawn responded with a smile, returning to work.

Talk to Kenny, tell him you want to come

Talk to Hershel, ask if you can stay

Talk to Kenny, tell him you're not interested

Talk to Hershel, ask if you can help

Relationships:

Kenny thinks you're okay

Clementine likes you

Katjaa thinks you're sweet

Duck thinks you're cool enough

Shawn is your friend

Hershel is unsure of you


	7. Shawn or Duck?

Lee decided that he should be useful and ask if he can help out Hershel, so he approached the barn that he was working in. Upon entering, he was greeted by a few odd words.

"I'm not sure if I can trust you." Hershel flat out confessed, glaring at Lee with one eye while working with the other.

"Huh? I'm not sure I follow." He responded, confused.

"Your story, I don't buy it. If you hadn't helped my son and his friend yesterday, you'd be out on your ass. It helps that you have that little girl. How'd you get out of Atlanta?" He tested, scraping hay harder as he explained why.

"I got a ride and then I was in a wreck, I walked until I found Clementine. Then, your boy found us." Lee said, folding his arms. Honestly, he was pretty anxious about telling him this.

"Hm, well you're no worse for wear." Hershel grunted, shaking his head.

"This farms a nice plot of land." Lee said, trying to change the subject as he gazed at the long fields, crops and fence.

"Heh, if you had told me that twenty years ago I would say you were full of crap. Never was the plan, it was in the family and I guess so was I. Family is important, it's all that matters. You agree with that?" The old man asks, stopping his work for a second to ask before returning to it.

"Was brought up to, yes." Lee agreed.

"Where's your family now? Parents, wife, girlfriend?" He asked, a twinge of pain hitting Lee's chest as he asked.

"My parents are in Macon, with my brother." Lee explained.

"Well, I hope they're alright." An awkward silence took over as Hershel continued his work before he resumed talking. "But now you've got this little girl to take care of, Clementine is it? You just stumbled up on her?" He asked, raising his brow.

"Yeah, she's a lifesaver. I got attacked and she came to my rescue." Hershel didn't trust this and threw the pitchfork in his hands down.

"Can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Okay.." Lee accepted, nodding slowly.

"I don't know who you are or what you did, but you are not staying another day on this farm. I got this sneaky feeling that you're hiding something bigger than you'd like to admit. Let's say things don't get better in the city, or they get worse before they do. You're gonna have to depend on the honesty of strangers if you're gonna make it, and if those folks come to question yours, you're gonna be in trouble. But at least you have the decency to listen to a man giving you advice." Hershel said, a condescending tone in his voice. Lee glared at the man and was about to say something when the roar of an engine was heard, followed by a male scream. The two look back in surprise.

"Go! I'll get my gun!" Hershel commanded, rushing into the house as Lee ran to the source of the scream, by Duck and Shawn.. Walkers were by the fence, trying to get past the gate, and Shawn was trapped under the wheel of Ducks tractor. And then, the boy was grabbed too! Lee didn't have much time but he had to save them and quickly! But which one first?

Save Shawn

Save Duck

Do nothing

Relationships:

Hershel doesn't trust you, despite your honesty

Clementine likes you

Shawn is your friend

Duck thinks you're cool

Katjaa thinks you're sweet

Kenny thinks you're okay


	8. Thank you

Lee saw his friend struggling and couldn't just stand there. He ran into action and began pulling his arms, attempting to make the save on Shawn. "Lee, help me, please!" He yelled, the walkers slamming their fists against the boards. Kenny eventually showed up and saved his son from being grabbed.

"Kenny, you gotta help us!" Lee shouted amongst the chaos, however Kenny was too scared. He had his son, so he ran away. Lee had no other choice, he grabbed the saw from the ground and began beating every walker to death with it. The fence broke, however, and one walker remained, who pounced on Shawn.

"L-Lee, get this fucker off of me!" Before Lee could help, a gunshot took the walkers head off, leaving Shawn alive. The tractor was pushed off by Lee, and with a bit of help Shawn got back up. "Y-you saved my life, man. Thank you." The young man hugged his Dad, though he was looking at Lee. Clem had watched the whole thing however.

Kenny walked up to the group with his family, staring at Lee with a mixture of astonishment and anger. Though he had to admit, he did save that boy. "You um, you.. Thank you, boy." Hershel told Lee, shaking his hand. It seemed like he had finally caught a break.

"Anytime. He saved my life, didn't he?" Lee said with a smile. Shawn chuckled, stepping away from the fence.

"Lee. Last chance, we're going to Macon. If you wanna come with then we gotta go now." Kenny said to the hero of the hour, dangling his keys in Lee's face.

Sure, we'll tag along

I think I'll stay here

Relationships:

Shawn is forever grateful

Hershel can't thank you enough

Clementine thinks you're a hero

Duck is conflicted, but still likes you

Kenny is conflicted

Katjaa thinks you are sweet

Chet barely knows you


	9. The Everett Family Drugstore

"Sure, yeah. We appreciate that." Lee accepted the offer, watching Clementine with careful eyes. She seemed to be okay with it, too.

"Then let's go, no time to waste." Kenny said, leading his family to the truck.

"Oh, and Lee.." Hershel started. Lee looked in the man's direction.

"Yeah?"

"If you ever need anything, food, gasoline, ammo, water.. Come on over. You've earned it." He finished, Shawn definitely agreed with that.

"Thanks guys. I hope we can meet again." Lee replied, giving them a smile before he took Clem's hand and made his way to the truck. He sat in the passenger seat next to Kenny while Clem sat in the back with the rest of Kenny's family.

"I'm uh.. Not sure what came over me there.." Kenny said, starting to pull out of the driveway.

"What do you mean?" Lee asked.

"With Hershel's son.. I just got too scared. At first I thought you should've saved my boy but.. I'm glad that kids blood ain't on my hands." The fisherman thanked, nodding his head at Lee.

"You did the right thing. What matters is everyone got out okay." He reassured.

"Yeah.. Yeah." The rest of the ride was a comfortable but scary quiet. Kenny was focused on getting everyone to Macon while Lee, Clem, Duck and Katjaa just watched the baron ghost town that used to be a thriving community. The truck was low on fumes just outside of the Everett family drugstore which was perfect for Lee.

"Well, we should start siphoning these cars for gas, we're runnin' low." Kenny explained, getting out of the car. "Everyone out, I don't want anyone else getting stuck today." He added, closing the truck door. Everyone else followed.

"Hey, this might be a good place to find food, water, maybe even medicine?" Lee suggested, pointing at the drugstore. Kenny nodded.

"We could use it, we didn't bring much." Kat replied, supporting Lee's decision.

"Yeah, okay. Let's just get some fuel first." The group searched around for a while, but none of the cars had much. That was until Kenny spotted a figure searching for something on the ground. "Hey there, you friendly? Truck's almost out of gas and-" The figure slowly got up, it's soulless eyes staring down the man as it limped toward him. "Oh shit.."

"Look!" Duck shouted, pointing at even more walkers who were carrying themselves closer to the group. One of them came out of an electronics store nearby and tackled Duck. He let out a loud scream, and Lee was about to run over and save him when a bullet zoomed by and struck the walkers skull. Duck crawled away from the thing, covered in it's blood before Kenny picked him up. It was a survivor, and she was shooting at more of them to help the group out!

"Move!" Another guy in a ball cap yelled, gesturing toward the drugstore where they presumably resided. The group made a mad dash for the door and made it in without any more trouble. The gate blocking the door was slammed shut and locked as everyone headed inside.

"You can't just be bringing people in here!" A long haired brunette woman coldly stated to the girl with the gun.

"And we can't just let people die, either!" She yelled back, a similar glare on her face.

"When I say that door stays shut no matter what, I fucking mean it!" The woman responded sternly.

"Worse, they could've led 'em right to us." An old but strong looking man added, crossing his arms as Katjaa carried Duck to a nearby counter and started cleaning him with a wipe from her pocket.

"Where the hell is your humanity? They just wanted some gas, they didn't want any trouble, I'm sure." Carley, as she would later reveal her name, said.

"Then we let 'em. Not our problem." Larry, the old man, responded. These people were not fucking around.

"We have kids here." Lee said, walking into the conversation with Clem next to him.

"I see one little girl!" Larry pointed down at Clem, glaring at Lee. Suddenly, Clem pulls on Lee's hand.

"What is it?" Lee asked the young girl.

"I-I have to pee." She whispered, looking up at him.

"Okay, bathrooms right over there." Lee calmly said, trying his best to stay composed for her as he pointed at the restrooms. She smiled and nodded, walking towards the room.

"They've got kids, Lilly, you really don't care about that?" The ball capped man asked.

"I'm not heartless, Glenn. I'm just saying those things outside don't care, and we're still a functioning group." Lilly told him off, gripping her fist in frustration.

"Maybe you should go join 'em then, you'll have something in common!" Kenny spat at the woman, giving her one mean glare.

"Goddamnit Lilly, you gotta control these people." Larry said. It seemed like the two were somehow related.

"Carley and Glenn just ran out there!" Lilly exclaimed.

"Guys, please you need to calm down." Doug, a pudgy dorky looking guy said, calling all attention to him.

"I don't give a shit about calm! We're in a warzone and for all we know these people aren't exactly docile." Larry replied, getting in the man's face, though he was making eye contact with Lee.

She's an asshole

She's the leader

She's not wrong

…

Relationships:

Shawn and Hershel are forever grateful for your save.

Clementine still likes you and trusts you most.

Kenny is still on the fence, but is glad you prevented Shawn's death.

Katjaa thinks you're a sweet guy.

Duck thinks you're okay.

Carley and Glenn saved your life.

Doug is defending you.

Larry and Lilly seem.. Not so friendly.

((Alright time to reply to some reviews!

Kwing: "Well at least Hershel isn't angry this time, though I'm surprised he was nicer to Kenny, I imagine Shawn isn't the biggest fan of Kenny right now. Can't wait for the next update!"

Shawn is a nice guy, he doesn't really like Kenny but he understands why he did it. Thanks for the support!

Blitzwinger: "Interesting so far, it'll be cool to see how you handle the bigger choices of the game that come on later on. Loving the story though. Very difficult choice but I gotta go with Kenny. I want to see how you carry out the story we all know."

Honestly, same. There's so many choices involving the classic motor inn group I wanna change or create! Stay tuned.

TheWriter496: "Well it seems Kenny's a bit angry at Lee, still I think he'll get over it. Go with Kenny all the way, he's one of the best characters in the game. I hope we get to see what happened in between episodes and more interactions in the episodes.

So yeah, really good so far however I wish the chapters were longer."

I love how many Kenny fans there are here! Sorry about the chapter length, with a choice based game and fanfic they kinda gotta be short but hopefully this one was a bit longer as you were hoping.

Darkfire1330: "Pretty good idea and execution, I do hope we see some new dialogue from characters instead of just in-game dialogue though. Also, it'd be cool to see what happened between the times like of Episode 2 and 3.

I say we go with Kenny as it'll be good to see the old cast again."

Thank you and yeah, I tried to incorporate more original dialogue this time around, hope you liked it!

Worker72: "Tag along is for the best after all Lee does not know his family is dead and besides this will get Lee to see the two would have been love interests. Stories like this are always better with a love interest. I hope you are able to convince Kenny to get fuel just before they hit Macon. It always bothered me that the group didn't start getting fuel from abandoned cars until after they moved into the Motor Inn."

There will be more than one potential love interest this season and we've already met two of them so I'm more than happy to bring you that!

Hope you all enjoyed!))


	10. One of Them is Bitten!

"She's not wrong." Lee remained neutral, choosing not to start a conflict with their saviors especially soon after being saved.

"Yes, we did. Thank god your entire crew isn't stupid." Lilly agreed, sighing in frustration.

"And we appreciate it, but we have to calm down, all of us." Lee explained, looking at Kenny specifically. Kenny tsks, looking at the ground.

"Holy shit.." Larry says, seemingly out of the blue. He got a good look at Duck who was still covered in walker guts and got a dangerous thought. "Son of a bitch, one of them is bitten!"

"Now, hold on-" Lee tried to intercept.

"Oh, I'll hold on alright. We have to end this now, you understand that, dontcha?" Larry asked Lee. The ex teacher looked down. Kenny stepped in front of his family and death stared the old man.

"I won't let that boy ruin a perfectly good group!" Larry argued, sticking his finger close to Kenny's face.

"No! That won't happen, I'm cleaning him up, there's no bite, he's fine!" Katjaa desperately yells back, checking Ducks arms, face and upper body.

"Don't you fucking people get it?! We've already seen this happen, we let someone with a bite stay in, and we all end up bitten!" We didn't know that previously, looks like this Larry guy might know a thing or two.

"Shut up.." Kenny mutters, gripping his fist tightly. He was ready to kill this guy.

"We gotta throw him out or uh smash his head in." Larry suggested.

"KENNY, STOP HIM!" Kat screeches, holding Duck close.

"Lee, you gotta help me on this. You were gonna get Duck out on the street, right? You didn't see a bite, right?" Kenny asks, looking at Lee for help once again.

Side with Kenny (Passive)

Side with Kenny (Violent)

Side with Larry

Say nothing

Relationships:

Kenny needs you right now but isn't sure of how he feels of you.

Clementine likes you and trusts you most.

Duck needs you right now and likes you.

Katjaa needs you right now.

Larry appreciates you respecting his daughter but knows who you are.

Lilly appreciates your respect for her.

Carley, Doug and Glenn are ready to defend whatever you say.

((Reviews:

Deathstranding: "So they've finally met the group, damn I wonder what's gonna happen now. Larry's an asshole as per usual but that's nothing new, still really enjoyed the chapter. Now that choices actually matter, hopefully cutting off Lee's arm actually works this time when we get to that point.

She's not wrong is my choice. However, definitely side with Kenny against Larry."

I guess you'll have to find out if we get to that. Glad you're enjoying so far!

Aegislash293: "It'll be interesting to see how you handle the bigger choices like say going with Kenny at the end of Season 2. If you did that, Kenny said they would go to Florida but since Kenny died Clementine did not do this. Now since choices matter and they do go to Florida that means they would never go to Richmond or Ericson's which means a completely different story, right?

Can't wait for chapter 10!"

Well here's chapter 10 haha. We'll have to see if Kenny even lives that long, I sure hope he does though. Thanks for reading!))


	11. He Wasn't Bitten!

Lee decided it would be best to side with Kenny. He didn't want Duck to be thrown out and he knew for a fact the poor kid wasn't bitten. He also didn't wanna start drama with this newgroup of people who saved his life. "He wasn't bitten, I saw it for myself." He said, defending the boy.

"You think our group believes that shit? C'mon, you're not the least reasonable guy here." Larry replied, staring the kid and Mom down afterwards.

"Everybody needs to chill the fuck out!" Carley interrupts, trying to keep her voice low due to the walkers outside.

"Nobody is doing anything!" Lilly said back, stepping forward to Carley.

"Shut up, Lilly! And YOU," Larry started, looking back at Carley. "Shut the fuck up. They will find us, they will get in here and none of this will fucking matter because of that little anchor. When he goes down, we all go down." He finished, turning back to the kid.

"What do you mean, anchor?" Kenny asked, folding his arms next to Lee.

"HE'S BITTEN! That's how you turn!" Larry yelled back.

"Well he's not bitten! Lee, stop this, it's upsetting him!" Katjaa pleaded, checking his neck and wrists for bites to no avail.

"Oh, I'm upsetting him? Ha, upsetting or getting eaten alive, which do you pick?" He asked, chuckling at the statement.

"Dad, please. It's a big deal, we get it." Lilly said, still wanting to get rid of Duck but finding it too risky to open the door and let him out.

"Do you, now? You know I don't like doing it, but if stopping him from turning saves you then we have to end him now." Larry questioned, looking down at his daughter.

"It's Larry, right? Man, c'mon, we can't argue amongst ourselves. Those things are out there and we're all we have. Kenny's son wasn't bit, so let's drop it." Lee cut in, approaching the grey haired brickhouse.

"Oh, I'll drop something, alright. And it'll save everyone's life." Larry said, seething a glare at the dark skinned man.

"I'm gonna kill him, Kat! Just worry about Duck.." Kenny threatened, getting up in his face as well.

"Kenny.. Not what I meant, we aren't hurting anyone." Lee told Kenny, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll see about that." Kenny responded.

"Lee.. There's someone in there." Clementine called to him, trying to open the door.

"It's just locked, keys are behind the counter, uh probably." Lee explained. He got a weird but knowing look from Carley.

"Like I said, I'm not the bad guy here, I'm just looking out for my daughter." Larry defended, giving Lilly a quick glance.

"No, you're the guy arguing for killing a kid!" Kenny yelled back.

"He's covered in muck! She'll find the bite, watch." Larry spat back, pointing at the kid.

"She.. Won't!" Kenny growled.

"And if she does? The first thing he'll do is sink his teeth into his mom's face. Then, once she's dead, she'll come back and pounce on your little girl. She'll turn fast, and then there'll be three. And that boy is the ballgame!" Larry explained, scaring some while only pissing Lee and Kenny off even more.

"Please, just calm down and let her handle him." Lee asked of Larry, though he knew it wasn't any use.

"Are you kidding? No, screw this, I'm done!" Larry barked, walking past the two before his wrist was grabbed by Lee. "Get your hands off of me.. Now." He warned, glaring back.

"No! You don't touch that boy, you don't touch anybody. I've got a little girl I'm protecting here, and you have your daughter. If we want what's best for our family, for this group, we can't kill each other. If you're gonna kill anyone, kill me!" Lee said with a surprisingly calm voice, though inside he was scathing with anger at this heartless bastard. Suddenly, a scream from the bathroom breaks the fight up, followed by a walker groan.

"H-help!" Clementine yelps, a walker slowly crawling towards her as everyone looks on in horror.

"Clementine!" Lee runs to her, tripping against a shelf in the process. He gets up upon seeing Clem struggle to back away from the monster and pulls it away from her. "GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Lee scolds, throwing his calm composure out the window. He's saved Clem but now the walker was latching onto him, and was getting pretty close to taking a bite out of him.

However, Carley fires her gun in the nick of time once again, killing the corpse just before it can do any damage. After recovering from the attack, Lee looks behind him at Clem and Carley. "Thanks.. You're okay right?"

Clementine nods and Carley responds with, "No problem." Suddenly, banging and snarling can be heard from outside and the group soon hide behind the counters and shelves, just in case the walkers get in.

"They're gonna get in.." Larry muttered to Kenny.

"Shut up and maybe they won't." Kenny replied, glaring at the man. After a few more seconds of this, the firing of guns drew the walkers away and everyone got back up, the coast was clear.

"Thank God for whoever that was." Glenn said, almost everyone nodded in reply.

"Son of a bitch, we almost died because of this bitch and her itchy trigger finger. That was stupid, that was- AH!" Larry was cut off as he clutched his heart in pain, falling to the floor just as Lilly rushed to his side.

"Dad! Are you okay?" She asked, holding his hand with hers.

"What's wrong with him?!" Lee asked out of both concern and shock.

"It's his heart." Lilly revealed, looking up with a worried expression.

"..My pills." Larry grumbled, closing his eyes.

"Um.. Nitroglycerin pills?" Katjaa asks, being a vet she knows a lot about medicine.

"Yes! We're out. We've been trying to get them since we got here. Please try to get in there, behind the counter where the pills are!" Lilly begged, looking up at the group and more specifically Lee.

"Should be through the office, right?" Lee suggested, knowing full well where they are.

"How do you know that's an office?" Carley asks, a suspicious look on her face.

"Uh.. Educated guess." He replied, folding his arms and looking away.

"It doesn't matter. We need nitroglycerin pills. Please get in there, I'll keep an eye on my dad." Lilly said, leaning the man up against the wall.

"Got it. Everyone else should get comfy and look for anything to help out. We could be here a while." Kenny said, agreeing to help which brought a reassuring smile to Lilly's face.

"This drugstore isn't a permanent solution. We should find more gas for your vehicle and get somewhere more sustainable." Glenn added, walking towards Lee.

"You're right, this ain't exactly Fort Knox." Kenny agreed.

"What do you suggest?" Lee asked.

"Like I said, gas and lot's of it so we can all get out of here. I know a motel not too far from here. I can go down there, grab some gas and come back, siphoning what I can on the way." Glenn suggested, jerking his jacket as he showed the group his keys.

"You know your way around town?" Lee asked, thinking he was the only local here as he knew none of these people.

"Was born and raised here, so yeah." Glenn said with a smirk.

"Here, if you need any help, call Clem with the walkie-talkie. We'll send a few down if you get in a jam." Lee said, giving the man the walkie from his pocket.

"Thanks. I'll be back soon." With that, Glenn left through the office exit.

"Lilly and Larry right? Lilly, keep an eye on him, these boys'll get you your medicine." Kenny assured, no hard feelings against her.

"Thank you." Lilly replied, smiling at Kenny.

"And you, you keep your eye on that front door, you're our lookout." The mustached family man took on his role as leader, pointing at Doug.

"It's Doug, and you got it." He nodded, walking towards the front door.

"And I'm Carley." Carley butted in, a hand on her hip.

"Okay, Carley and Doug will switch in shifts every hour. You're a good shot, and I'd like to keep it that way." Kenny complimented, nodding his head at the two.

"You got it, boss." She responded, walking towards a counter and pulling out a radio.

"Now, get him those pills." Was Kenny's final order before returning to his family.

Lee kneeled down to Clem's level and smiled. "Hey, Clementine. Do you need anything?" He asked, a caring tone in his voice.

"Not really, but I am super hungry." She responded, rubbing her belly.

"Alright, I'll try to find you something to eat." He got up and walked around and actually managed to strike gold! He found three candy bars and two batteries. Now, who to give the candy bars to?

In this choice, you may choose whoever three survivors who are currently here to give the candy bars to. No limitations except for Glenn as he is out. Happy voting!

Relationships:

Clementine likes you a lot and thinks you're really nice.

Kenny is very thankful for you sticking up for Duck. He forgives the Hershel incident.

Katjaa is forever grateful that you helped her son out.

Duck is thankful and likes you.

Larry thinks you're a murderous asshole and a pansy.

Lilly is appreciative that you remained docile during your argument, and that you respect her.

Glenn and Doug think you have balls of steel for standing up to Larry.

Carley is onto you, but thinks you're okay.

((Reviews:

Pokediger91699: "Side with Kenny (passive) we're dd finitely not throwing Duck out, however we seem to have some respect from the others even Larry's appreciation, best not to break it.

By the way, since what you do actually matters and Larry seems a little bit more appreciative this time around, when we get him his pill does he still punch us?

Hope to see the update soon, good work!"

You'll have to find out when we get there. Unfortunately, Larry is still an asshole and doesn't care if you were okay to his daughter. He might later, though. Thanks for the compliments!

Shadow Ninja 287: "If it were me I'd suggest to Larry to wait for Katjaa to clean Duck up and if he's bitten then do something about it but until then sit and wait. Probably wouldn't do anything since the guy's a jerk but who knows."

What do ya know, I kinda incorporated this. Larry ignores it but still, thanks for the suggestion.

CRed1988: "Side with Kenny in Passive. Everyone needs to lower their voice otherwise they are screwed. Lee must make sure to remind them of that because of the danger outside."

I totally agree, these guys do not know how to settle down. Fortunately, makes for some pretty entertaining drama. Thanks for reading!

Worker72: "The only reason I would not side Kenny (Violent) is b/c I am worried about the noise it would make. Better to stay Passive and quiet than risk attracting the undead to your location. Larry is a chain of command guy but there never was a chain of command in the group. Lee needs to establish that chain of command to keep everyone alive."

Thankfully, your choices will matter here, so hopefully if you guys vote for it, Lee can be the group's leader after episode two.

Thanks for reading, and happy voting!))


	12. I Know Who You Are

Lee approached Clementine and gave her the energy bar with a smile. "Here you go, Clem. Enjoy it."

"Thank you, Lee!" She exclaimed, unwrapping the bar. He got back up and noticed the radio Carley was messing around with.

"Hey, you're a pretty good shot." Lee complimented. She looked back and smirked.

"Well, you don't fuck with a reporter, especially one that's three days out from her last cup of coffee." She replied, giving a chuckle.

"You seem to handle yourself pretty well." He noted.

"Ha, really? I'm a disaster." She replied, looking down at herself.

"I can't tell." Lee said, smiling a bit.

"My news editor was eaten about five feet away from me, and I would've joined her if it weren't for that dorky guy on watch over there." She explained, pointing at Doug.

"That guy saved you?" He asked in bewilderment.

"Yeah, can you believe it? Those creeps or ghouls or whatever the hell they are, they were pulling our van apart and that guy, Doug, just came to the rescue." Carley answered, staring at the blonde man with a smile.

"Never can tell who the heroic ones are gonna be, huh?" He said.

"He's kind of cute.. In that parent's basement sort of way." She trailed off before looking back at Lee.

"What?" He asked, not being able to hear her.

"Huh? Oh, nothing." She cleared her throat, looking back down at the radio.

"What's that you're messing around with there?" Lee asked, referring to the object.

"Radio, can't get it to work though." Carley responded, stumped.

"Let me see if I can get it to work." Lee picked up the radio and began inspecting it, turning the power on and off, turning up the volume, lifting the antenna and finally checking the battery slot. There were no batteries. "There are no batteries in this thing." He told her.

"What now?" She asked back.

"You know there are no batteries in that thing?" He tested, putting the radio back down before folding his arms.

"Oh, of course, I mean yeah.. No." She admitted, looking away from his gaze.

"I have some if you'd like..?" Lee offered, showing her the two batteries. She happily accepted.

"Thanks. Now to just put them in.." She paused for a second, looking at the case before putting the batteries in the wrong way. Lee sighed and took the radio back, flipping them over. "Oh, right! Thanks.."

"Don't mention it." Lee replied, turning on the radio which actually transmitted a message.

"You fixed it!" She said in surprise, listening in as someone from the news station began talking.

"As the unknown affliction continues to spread unchecked, the estimated death toll continues to skyrocket. WABE urges you to stay indoors, and avoid any contact with individuals you suspect may have been exposed." The man reported.

"The station is okay!" Carley exclaimed with a smile, glancing at the windows for a moment.

"In the event of a full...uh, my producer is telling me we have to get off the air." The reporter explained, the audio worsening as it developed into static.

"Steve.." Carley trailed off, a frown appearing on her face.

"WABE wishes you and your loved ones… God bless you all." The transmission was cut short and the audio was cut.

"I'm sorry, Carley.." Lee placed a hand on her shoulder, she looked up at him and forced a smile.

"Thanks, Lee. You should go check on the others, I need some space." She suggested, sitting down on a chair close by. Lee nodded and walked towards Kenny and his family.

"We can't let anything happen to Ducky." Katjaa said to her husband.

"I know, hun." Kenny replied, noticing Lee coming up.

"Hey, guys." Lee greeted.

"Hey, Lee. You really gave that old man hell." Kenny said with a grin.

"I was just trying to calm everyone down. Duck isn't bitten, and there is no way I would let anyone hurt him." Lee said with a bit of a snarl.

"Damn straight. Anyways, we, Kat and I, appreciate it." Kenny nodded.

"Here, I've been finding these and thought Duck might want one." Lee offered, giving the candy bar to the young boy.

"Aww, thanks Lee, we appreciate it." Kenny smiled at him. He really was starting to like Lee.

"Thank you." Duck muttered, peeling back the wrapper.

"That's sweet, Lee." Kat added.

"What's uh, what's the plan?" Lee asked, crossing his arms.

"Hang tight, I suppose. When Glenn gets back and we get that door open we hop into my truck and get the hell outta here. Anyone who can't fit goes with Glenn and we find a place to spend the night." Kenny explained, Lee seemed to approve.

"What about your family, Lee? Aren't they in Macon? Should we go looking for them?" Katjaa asked. Lee shrugged.

"They owned this place.. I think they might be gone." Lee said with a sigh. Katjaa gasped.

"Oh, sweetie.." She muttered, her good instinct making her feel awful for him.

"Kat.." Kenny started, touching her shoulder.

"They were good people. I wasn't around much but, yeah.. Anyways, are you guys all right?" Lee asked the family, looking back up from his feet.

"We're just fine, considering." Kenny replied.

"How about you, Duck?" Lee asked with a smile as Duck munched on the chocolate bar with a bit of a frown.

"We've all been through a lot." Kat said for him. "How is she?" She asked, looking at Clementine.

"I've been doing what I can for her. I gave her an energy bar, too." Lee answered

"She's a tough one that's for sure." Kenny commented.

"She's just a little girl, Ken." Katjaa replied.

"She apparently spent days on her own, ain't that right?" Lee nodded to Kenny's question. "Not just any little girl can do that."

"I'm gonna check up on Larry. I'll have that door open as soon as I'm done here." Lee informed, walking off.

"Thanks again, man." Kenny said. Lee looked back and nodded before approaching Larry and Lilly.

"Hey, how's he doing?" Lee asked, looking down at Larry. Lilly gets up and faces him.

"I'm not sure I got your name." Lilly said, exhaustion in her voice.

"It's Lee. You're Lilly right? And that's Larry." He said with a sigh. This old man was a pain.

"Yup. Thanks for not flipping out like everyone else. I didn't exactly agree with my dad but at the same time you have to understand that we're all on edge." She defended. Lee understood.

"Oh, I do. I gotta ask, did you guys find any bodies here?" Lee asked, needing his closure.

"Yeah, an older couple was in the back. Dad hauled them out just in case they weren't really dead." Lee looks down in shock. "Are you okay? Did you know the people here?" She asked in concern.

"Yeah, we were close. Good people." He gulped, not allowing the tears to leave his thoughts.

"I'm sorry." She apologized.

"It's fine.. You from around here?" He asked.

"Yeah, I work at Warner Robins, the Air Force base." She answered.

"Yeah, I know it. Pilot or..?"

"Nah, mainly mechanical admin stuff. I deal with a lot of shitheads and bureaucrats all day, sometimes a plane, if I'm lucky. You?" She asked back.

"I used to work up at the university of Georgia. Oh, before I forget, here." Lee handed her the last energy bar.

"Are you sure?" She asked, placing her hand on his to take it.

"Yeah, you're both under quite a bit of stress." He responded, nodding his head. She took the bar and smiled.

"Thanks, that's.. Really sweet of you." She said with genuinity. She looked over at Clementine worriedly. "Where's her mom?"

"Oh, she's not my daughter. Her parents are in Savannah. I don't think they made it though.." He whispered, looking back at the cute, innocent Clementine.

"Oh.. Well, keep up the good work. You're doing a good job of raising her." Lilly complimented, a smile on her face.

"Thanks. I'm gonna head into the office now." Lee said, walking away. As soon as he opened the door, Clementine got up and ran beside him.

"Can I come in?" She asked sweetly.

"Sure. Everyone, we'll be in the office if you need us." Lee announced.

"Gotcha." Doug said, flashing a thumbs up. The duo headed into the room and closed the door. Lee immediately saw exactly what he had dreaded: blood on an empty bed, where his parents must have been. But where was his brother?

"No, can't think of them now.." He tried blocking the thoughts out of his head, but his body approached the mattress anyways and he kneeled down to pick up a picture of his family, with him in it. He smiled, remembering the day they had taken this, before the murder, before the trial.. He tore out his picture and stuck the photo in his pocket.

"Find anything?" Carley asks, opening and closing the door behind her. Lee immediately dropped his picture to the ground.

"A- uh a picture of the family who owned this place. Could help us find the keys to that blocked door." Lee explained, his heart skipping a beat at the alarming appearance of the reporter.

"I know who you are." She said blankly, looking him right in the eyes before stepping closer.

"You're Lee Everett. You're a professor at Athens who killed the state senator who was sleeping with your wife. This is your parents' store. Locals around here knew the owner's son got himself a life sentence, but I'm a reporter for WABE in Atlanta. I paid attention to that trial. Maybe you're a murderer, but I honestly don't care. Frankly that's a skill that might come in handy." Carley stated, causing Lee to huff in his anxious state of mind.

"Did you tell anyone out there who you are, or that you're tied to this place?" She asked, lowering her voice as she realized Clem had heard everything.

"No, been sticking to first names for a reason." Lee answered honestly.

"Well good. Look, you seem like an okay guy, and the last thing we need out there is even more drama. Look, you've got this little girl to take care of and.. Well, don't make me wrong on this.." She said. Lee took one step closer to her.

"I don't plan to." He responded.

"Good. Because if this lasts longer than a few days, and you become a detriment to the group, then we'll have a problem." Carley warned, the two only a few inches away from each other.

"I hear you." He replied.

"I'll keep it to myself." She said with a nod, looking into his eyes with a mixture of friendship and warning.

Choices:

Thank you

I don't trust you.

You better.

…

Relationships:

Clementine really likes you.

Kenny views you as a loyal companion.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Lilly thinks you're a good guy.

Larry is pissed at you but is appreciative that you're looking after him and his daughter.

Doug thinks you're cool.

Glenn thinks you're cool.

Carley likes you but knows your secret.

((Reviews:

ScytherWarrior: "I say feed Clementine, Duck and give a piece to Lilly and Larry. Going back to want you said at the end, it'll be good to see we have the decision to put Lee in charge. This will solve a massive problem, now the group won't take the supplies from the wagon if the voting goes that way. Amazing chapter"

Thanks for the answer of Larry and Lilly. Clem and Duck were a lock since everyone wanted to feed them, but the third person was in the air. I decided on these two because both Lilly and Larry collectively got more than anyone who wasn't a kid. As for the station wagon.. You'll have to wait and see!

Worker72: "Kenny will be happy if you feed the kids. I suppose Carley is a good choice for the third but you could probably score points with Lily if you gave it to her for Larry. Knowing Larry he will not be grateful for the candy unless you have something else planned for Larry. Most people are probably still focused on the canon Larry who stays a jerk throughout the entire series. However I'll say Larry for the third choice just to see if you have anything differently planned for jerk."

Larry is thankful, just not very willing to show it. I honestly like almost every Walking Dead character (That isn't in Michonne or ANF) so I have no biases and that goes for Larry too. I guess I just really like the motor inn group haha.))


	13. Innocent Clementine

"Thank you." Lee said with a smirk, watching her as she looked away with a blush.

"You're welcome." Carley replied simply, walking back to the store section of the drugstore. Lee looked over at the pile of stuff guarding the door and pulled back a pallet blocking it all. Once he did that, a cane slipped out and onto the floor. He picked it up and smiled.

"What's that?" Clementine asked, twiddling her thumbs.

"This was my dad's old cane." He said fondly.

"Was he sick?" She asked curiously.

"Nah, I actually saw him whoop shoplifters with it. This old thing could protect this place than any guard dog ever could. Plus it made him look cool, like you with your hat." He complimented, patting the cap.

"My dad gave it to me!" Clementine said excitedly, smiling wide.

"See, dad's are smart like that." Lee remarked, opening the drawer that covered the door to the pharmacy. "Huh, the remote to my Dad's TV." He picked it up, turning on the TV. No signal.

"I miss TV.." Clem muttered, sighing.

"It won't be gone forever, Clem. Hopefully." He replied, putting the remote in his pocket. "Better get this door cleared, huh?"

"Can I help?" Clem asked. Lee nodded.

"Sure, just be careful not to hurt yourself on the drawers." Lee warned, placing his hands right under the desks edge.

"Okay, I won't." She replied, doing the same. The two pulled the desk back a bit when Lee started talking again.

"You don't need anything, right?" Lee asked, looking right at her.

"Mm.. I get hungry a lot!" She replied.

"Still, huh? How about allergies, asthma, any general malodies?" He quizzed. She paused before responding.

"My friend Alfred has a peanut allergy." Clementine brought up.

"But you're cool?" Lee asked, shifting the drawer a bit. She nodded.

"I think so." The two smile at each other before moving the drawer a bit more to the side. He stops when Clementine asks him a hard question. "Do you have kids?" He cringes at the question and wishes she wouldn't bring it up.

"No." He said directly.

"Do you not have a family?" Clem asked again.

"..What do your parents do?" Lee asked, opting to change the subject.

"My Mom is a doctor and my Dad is an engineer." Clem informed. "What is your job?"

"I uh, teach history and writing, stuff like that." He answered decently honestly.

"Like social studies?" She asked.

"Yeah, kinda. Now c'mon, let's finish moving this thing." Lee said, moving forward as the two moved the desk vertically from the door.

"Why don't you wanna talk about your family? Do they, like, hate you?" Clementine probed, stopping the movement of the desk.

"I wouldn't blame them.." He said with a sigh, shaking his head as he felt himself getting emotional.

"Why? Did you fight? Me and my mom fight sometimes." She asked, still wanting more answers.

"Not really.. Look, Clem.."

Choices:

I killed someone

I'm not a bad guy

I got into a fight once

This is their store

Relationships:

Clementine likes you a lot.

Carley respects you and is glad you trust her.

Doug and Glenn think you're cool.

Kenny views you as a loyal companion.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Lilly thinks you're a good guy.

Larry is pissed at you but appreciates you looking after his daughter.

((Reviews:

Doctor Who: "I really like how you say at the bottom how the relationships are, adds to the characters. Wonder if we can actually save Larry this time around, though if we do he better be grateful of Lee. Another good chapter by the way, hope next update's just as good."

Okay, firstly thanks! The relationships aspect helps me make the choices that aren't big enough to warrant the end of a chapter but still affect the way Lee talks to others. Secondly, Larry's death gets brought up a lot here and in all honesty guys, you can save everyone in episode one. Everyone. You'll just have to figure out how. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Thewriter014: "I'm really loving this story, and hope you continue it to the very end! Just one question though, depending on our choices can we save someone who we weren't given a choice to like Duck? Like, could our choices save him or is stuff like that unpreventable?"

Yes is all I'll say to the no choice saves. You can prevent it, but not directly, your choices would have to snowball into each other in some cases. Thanks for the feedback!

Worker72: "Thank you is always best. I wonder if you will give the option to save both Doug or Carley though? It might be nice to have them both around but if they are than that eliminates Carley as a love interest since she is obviously smitten with Doug first. Of course that still leaves Lilly and Molly as possible love interests and Carley could play close confident but who knows."

Careful, he's learning..))


	14. Glenn's Damsel in Distress

"The day you and I met I was in a car accident." Lee refreshed, pushing the drawer with Clem before pausing and kneeling down in front of her.

"I remember, your leg was all messed up." Clementine looked down at his leg which was now much better.

"The car I was in was a police car. I killed someone before we met and that's why my family and I don't get along too well." Lee explained.

"Oh.." She honestly had no words, she was speechless.

"I need you to keep this to yourself. Don't tell a soul in there, okay? It could cost us our stay in the group." He warned, giving her a stern look. She nodded in understanding. "Alright, one more push." The two gave the drawer a strong push against the wall when suddenly Clementine jumped back and screeched.

"Ow!" She whimpered, her finger starting to bleed.

"What's wrong?" He asks, throwing his attention toward her.

"I hurt my finger.." She replied, showing him the damage. He helped her up to the desk, allowing her to sit on it.

"Ouch.." He muttered, touching the limb.

"It hurt!" She notified, allowing him to apply softer contact.

"Don't worry, I'll find something to cover it up." He assured, getting up and walking toward his father's first aid kit which was right above the bloody mattress where they must have died. Still, his brother was nowhere in sight.. Maybe he was still alive? Anyways, he checked the aid kit and found a bandage, perfect for a cut. He walked back and crouched down.

"Alright, let's get this cut covered up." He said with a smile, wrapping her tiny finger with the seal.

"Yes please." She responded cutely, watching him as he just finished up wrapping the finger. "Lee?"

"Yeah?" He answered, looking up at her.

"What if my parents come home and I'm not there?" The question lingered a bit before Lee answered.

"They'll find us, sweet pea. I know it. Okay, I think I'm done here." Lee brought himself back up so he was standing in front of her.

"Thank you." Clem said, getting off the desk and approaching the door. Lee tried the pharmacy door but it was locked.

"Worth a shot, I guess." He shrugged, walking out with Clementine and placing his hand on the doorknob. However, before he could open the door Clem stopped him again.

"Did you kill that guy because he was one of the things trying to eat you?" She asked, a pout evident in her face. Lee hated talking about it.

"No. He was human.." He admitted, not wanting to lie to her. He had done enough of that to the others.

"Oh.. Was he trying to hurt you?" She asked, feeling a bit intimidated.

"Y-yes.. Don't worry about it, Clem. And don't say anything either." Lee replied sternly, finally opening the door.

"Okay.. Sorry." The two stepped out when suddenly the walkie-talkie started making noise and Glenn's voice boomed out of it.

"Hello? Little girl, can you put your dad on the phone? Or the walkie or whatever?" He asked, Clem listened and gave it to Lee. Everyone in the room stared at Lee and listened in.

"What's up?" Lee greeted.

"So I'm down at that motor inn by Peach Creek and.. I'm stuck." Glenn informed, starting to whisper.

"Stuck?" Lee asked with a bit of worry.

"Yeah.. I uh, I got jumped by one of the roaming ones and almost got attacked, I hid and then these guys came here and now everything's just quiet. I'm hiding in the ice machine but I am not coming out until I know for sure that I'm safe." Glenn explained, hushing his voice.

"Alright, we'll send a small group down for you. Hold tight, Glenn." Lee responded.

"Thanks, dude. You're a lifesaver." The call ended. Kenny approached Lee and crossed his arms.

"What's the plan?"

"Well, you gotta stay with your family, Lilly needs to keep an eye on Larry and Doug isn't too good with walkers. I say Carley and I head out and find Glenn, get in his car and come straight back." Lee suggested. Carley walked up to him and nodded.

"Sure, I'm down. Are you ready to go now?" Carley asked.

"Yeah, let's go." Lee nodded, staring at the pistol in her hands. Luckily she trusted him enough not to shoot him with that thing.

"Good luck." Kenny wished, watching the two leave out the office door.

The two walked to where the motor inn was before finally finding the street sign for Peach Creek. "Just so you know, I got your back." Carley whispered, breaking the silence that had enveloped the two.

"I know. Thanks a lot, I mean it." Lee replied, a smile on his face.

"And if Glenn didn't make it then.. I can take care of it." She added. Lee nodded.

"I really don't want to kill anymore people who don't deserve it. This whole thing has just-" A walker moan interrupted the pair as the husk of a human appeared right in front of the ice machine.

"Shit, get down!" Carley whispered, the two taking cover behind a brick wall. The walker passed and strutted it's way down to the parking lot.

"Guys!?" Glenn called quietly, opening the ice machine doors and smirking when he saw them. "Holy shit, thank god you found me!"

"Good to see you, man. You get the gas?" Lee asks, Glenn flashes him a couple of jerry cans filled with the liquids.

"More than I thought I would." He said with a chuckle, lifting himself out of the refrigerator.

"Okay, we saved Glenn, now we gotta go." Carley cut in, staring at the pizza car he rode in on.

"No way! There's a girl trapped up there. We gotta help her." Glenn said, pointing up to a room that walkers were pounding up against.

"Are you serious?" Lee asked. Glen nodded.

"No way, we got what we needed, let's go." Carley recommended, tilting her body towards the car.

"We can't just leave her!" Glenn said as if it were obvious.

"Lee, c'mon, we should go back, right?" Carley asked, looking toward the bearded man, then at the jerry cans.

Choices:

A. We have to save her!

B. Sorry, Glenn..

Relationships:

Clementine is a bit scared of you but still depends on you.

Kenny thinks you're a loyal companion.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Carley respects you and is glad you trust her.

Glenn thinks you're cool.

Doug thinks you're cool.

Lilly thinks you're a good guy.

Larry is pissed at you but appreciates you looking after his daughter and helping him.

((Reviews:

Deathstroke746: "We haven't got to the huge choices yet, so only time will tell how they carry throughout the seasons. Hopefully we don't spend too much time in the drug-store. By the way, will we have chapters set in between episodes, like the time jump between 1 and 2 and the bandit attacks between 2 and 3? Interesting story so far, wonder where it will go from here."

We'll definitely take a look at what happens between two and three, but one and two? Probably not as I think it was a good call to flash forward in time to show the characters new group and situation.

: "Another solid chapter, however I do wish the chapters were a bit longer to get invested in the story a tiny bit more. 'This is their store' I'm going with."

I've mentioned the chapter length before, but honestly some choices are too important for me to pad out over one thousand words to make it longer. I'd rather give you choices than make the story super long. My advice is to not think of these as chapters but instead just a choice prompt that the community has to answer together. If I make a chapter too short I usually upload twice a day to make up for it.

Sanspapyrustheskeletaton: "I say go for first just be open with clem about it.

Also hoping that you can save Carly and Doug choosing one would be to hard for me

Carly is a love interest and a good shot and Doug was a funny and kindhearted guy

Also love the story keep up the good work"

Thanks and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too!

CRed1988: "I killed someone.

There will be time that Clem will know eventually. Might as well Lee tell her about it despite been young."

Okay, just know that your actions have bigger consequences now. Thanks for being a continued support! Happy voting everyone.))


	15. The Motor Inn Clean Up

"Carley, we have to save her." Lee said, agreeing with the young man next to him.

"You guys are really going to be suicidal over a girl?" Carley asked in disbelief.

"We saved Lee and his group when Lilly didn't want us to, right? This is the exact same." Glenn replied, looking up at the boarded up door containing the girl.

"Fine, let's go save Glenn's damsel in distress." Carley rolled her eyes, taking out her gun.

"Alright, here's the plan: We take these things out, all of them and quietly. Noise attracts these things. Then when it's all cleared we head up there and save that woman's life." Lee explained, the two nodding before Lee started looking around. Behind the wall was a walker eating someone alive and just behind that was a pillow. He grabbed it.

"Good luck smothering them to death." She mutters, confused as to how a pillow could help.

"Not exactly what I had in mind." Lee replied. After a few seconds he noticed an empty truck that Glenn must have already siphoned. The group stealth walked towards it and took cover behind it, as a walker was sitting right up against a car a few feet from the truck. Lee looked into the window of the truck and noticed an ice pick on the seat.

"Can't, too much noise." Glenn informed.

"You're right. I'll have to find something else." Lee looked back to the other car the walker was leaning on and saw that the car door was unlocked. "Get out your gun." He whispered to the woman next to him.

"But the noise.." She responded, doing it anyways.

"Just follow my lead." He nodded and she nodded back, the two approaching the relaxed walker. When it noticed them, it made a low growl before Lee placed the pillow onto it's head. "Now!" He called to Carley, who brought the gun to the walker's forehead before pulling the trigger. Glenn approached the two with a grin.

"That's sick!" Glenn said, smiling at Lee. Lee opened the car door and took a spark plug out of the seat. "Oh hey, a spark plug. You should hold onto that, it could help us break that window in the truck. Here, give it to me."

"Okay.." Lee replied, giving the bud to Glenn. He rushed to the window before crushing the material and tossing it at the window, fracturing the glass without much noise. He then grabbed the ice pick and handed it to Lee.

"See?" He asked with a knowing grin. Lee grabbed the weapon with a fist bump back. Carley just shook her head as Lee rolled the car in front of them towards a fat, slow walker, the car crushing it against the motel's wall. He then stuck the pick inside the walker's skull, killing it. "Dude, where'd your weapon go?" Glenn asked, walking up behind Lee.

"Into that ice pick sized hole." Lee joked, getting a laugh out of Glenn.

"Oh shit! That's cool, now we got this." He said, pointing at a fire axe on the wall.

"Are you two done?" Carley asked impatiently. Finally, Lee and Glenn managed to kill two walkers by an abandoned RV, clearing out the motel with the exception of the hungry walkers at the girls door. The trio walked to the stairs until Lee stopped them.

"What's up?" Glenn asked.

"You two should lag behind just in case the walkers are too much." Lee told the two, they nodded.

"I got your back in case you can't handle them." Carley replied, taking out her gun again. Lee walked up the stairs with the other two behind him. Once he approached the walkers, he was able to cut one's head open with the blade of the axe, and decapitate another from the neck down. His two group members followed shortly afterwards.

"Nice job." Glenn complimented. Lee thanked him before walking to the boarded up door the girl was crying in. She sounded so distraught, they had to help her.

"Hello? Miss, we're here to help!" Lee called, knocking on the door.

"NO JUST GO AWAY!" Irene, the girl, yelled back.

"Let's go, guys." Carley said, looking back at their car.

"In a minute. We can help if you just let us in. We have a group in town, we can save you." Lee assured her, his fist still against the heavily locked door.

"NO, PLEASE LEAVE ME ALONE!" She cried, sobbing out her words.

"Miss, I'm coming in." Lee announced, taking his axe and breaking the boards covering the door with it. Then he tried the doorknob but it wouldn't budge, so he launched his shoe into the sturdy door.

"STOP, JUST STOP… I'm coming out." Irene whispered, opening the door to reveal a pale woman with baggy eyes and a bloody, bitten stomach.

"Oh my god.. Guys, she's been bitten." Carley noticed, pointing at the large amount of blood on her shirt as she clutched the area with her hand.

"I told you.. But you wouldn't just leave." She muttered, tears falling down her cheeks.

"It's okay, you're gonna be fine!" Glenn said, trying to lie to himself. They all knew what happened to bite victims, Larry made sure to explain it to him.

"No, I won't be fine! My boyfriend was bitten. You get sick and you die and you come back and kill anything you find!" She explained to them.

"You have a boyfriend?" Glenn mumbled to himself.

"Glenn!" Carley scolded.

"I don't want that! It's not christian! Please.. Just go." Irene begged, searching the group's eyes for a response.

"We can't let you die here, that's awful." Lee said, shaking his head with sorrow for the girl. She gasped when she noticed Carley's gun.

"You.. Have a gun." Irene pointed out.

"Um, yeah..?" Carley said, not getting what the big deal was.

"Can I.. Borrow it?" She asked, her hand opening up from the wound.

"What do you mean, 'borrow'?" Carley kinda knew what she meant, but really didn't want to believe it.

"You know, I can- I can just end this and then we can all forget about this.." Irene muttered, her hand getting closer to Carley's.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Lee objected, his eyebrows furrowing in disbelief.

"PLEASE! They're, they're… Satanic." She sobbed, referring to the walkers. Lee had to decide what to do next.

Choices:

A. You can't have it.

B. Give it to her.

Relationships:

Clementine is a bit scared of you but still depends on you.

Kenny sees you as a loyal companion.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Lilly thinks you're a good guy.

Larry doesn't like you, but appreciates you looking after his daughter.

Carley is a little peeved that you didn't agree with her, but still likes you.

Glenn is happy you sided with him, he views you as a friend.

Doug thinks you're cool.

Irene just met you and just wants to die.

((Reviews:

Worker72: "A. We have to save her but only b/c Glenn needs to see someone give up. We the reader already know what is going to happen to Irene unless you have changed her script."

Didn't change much of Irene but I agree, Glenn needs to get with the program, and so does Lee.

CRed1988: "This one is a tough choice.

We have to save her.

At least then, it will show Glenn the reality to saving someone who has the bite already is too late."

Agreed, like Writer72 said, this group is still soft and new to the apocalypse.

J: "Well damn, now Clementine's a bit afraid of us. But it was the right thing to say I think. I quite like the little new dialogue you add too, I say we go save her to give closure and show the group what's necessary sometimes and to give Glenn closure."

Thanks! I decided to make Clem the most changeable character aside from Kenny in terms of relationships since she's basically the most important. Her being scared of us is certainly new for this episode.))


	16. The Meltdown

((Okay, firstly I owe you guys an apology. I've been gone for a bit because I recently moved and the house we moved to had no wifi. BUT now I'm back and will be updating every day. Thanks for understanding!))

"Just give it to her." Lee said after a short pause, looking down at the woman's bite with a frown. Carley and Glenn both shot Lee a shocked look.

"What the fuck, Lee?! You can't just give up like that!" Glenn yelled, raising his fist and his voice.

"You can't be serious. I'm not doing it." Carley refused, looking away as she locked the gun tight against her.

"Carley, Glenn, think about it. If a bite causes someone this much pain, this much despair, would you really want them to suffer? Cause I sure as hell don't. Gimme the gun, Carley." Lee raised his hand out, Glenn looking at the reporter as she hesitated to give the gun up before putting it in Lee's hand. The convict then gave over the gun to Irene.

"Thank you so much.." Irene said, a light smile on her red, yet pale face. She looked down at the gun and Glenn just backed away in disgust.

"We can't watch this. Let's go." Glenn muttered, his lip trembling as if he were about to cry, his stomach turning with disturbed disgust.

"We can't go." Lee whispered to them, a look of sadness on his face.

"Why the hell not? Don't tell me you want to watch this?" Glenn asked with disgust, shooting a glare at the bearded man.

"No, he's right. Someone has to get the gun." Carley said solemnly.

"I'll do it. You two just go back to the car and wait for me, I'll be back in a bit." Lee said, the two nodding as they took their leave, not looking back once. Not even after hearing the gun shot.

After her body fell to the ground, a gaping hole in the temple of her head, Irene prevented herself from turning and Lee learned a valuable lesson: If you get bit, it's over.

The ride back was quiet. Glenn had Carley drive as he felt too sick, and honestly so did Lee. The three just didn't speak and as soon as they got to the back of the Drugstore and opened the office door, Glenn left Lee and Carley's side to be the first in the store of the drug store.

"Glenn, Lee, Carley, you made it back." Doug greeted, giving Carley a short glance and a smile. She smiled back before walking back to her desk where the radio lied, a frown replacing her smile shortly after.

"Yeah, we had to kill a few walkers on the mission but Glenn's fine and uh.. Yeah." Lee responded awkwardly, Glenn's eyes glued to the floor.

"You bring back any gas?" Kenny asked the Asian kid. He held up a jerry can.

"Yup, just enough for that pick-up." He answered. Kenny let out a relieved grin.

"Thanks, man. We appreciate it." The mustachioed family man replied.

"Don't mention it." With that, the two went back to their own business. Doug approached Lee and cleared his throat to get his attention.

"So… Um, I was wondering, you wanna go outside and have a look around?" Doug asked seemingly out of nowhere.

"Ha, are you crazy? I just risked my life once today." Lee said with a laugh.

"No, it's fine, the gate out there is locked tight. We'll be safe." Doug reassured.

"Huh. Alright, let's look around." The teacher agreed, the two walking towards the front door.

"Cool. Just don't make too much noise." The two opened the door and exited to the outdoors, right between the drugstore and a gate preventing the dead from crawling in and mauling everyone inside. The two watched as a gang of walkers ate at a mangled corpse, causing them to recoil in disgust.

"Oh my god.." Lee whispers, crouching down next to Doug.

"They just.. Eat. And when they're done eating, they get up and find someone else." The chubby guy next to him analyzed, scanning the area with Lee.

"Jesus.. Let's take a look and uh.. Oh no." Lee paused when he saw the chewed up, rotting corpse of his older brother underneath a street light. He almost couldn't believe the sight but had to when he pulled out the picture of his family and checked off all the details. The clothes, hair and face were near identical minus the parts that were tainted by the disease.

"What? You know that guy?" Doug asked, pointing at B. Everett himself.

"Yeah, he worked at this drugstore. He might have the keys." Lee said with a heavy heart, showing Doug the photo.

"Hopefully. The only other guys who might have had them were the old couple out back that Lilly and Larry hauled out before you guys got here and they're long gone." The blonde geek responded, causing Lee to flinch.

"Shut up, Doug." He replied in frustration before inspecting the gate blocking them from the street. After a little bit, he realized that the only way through would be to smash the lock, since neither knew the lock combination and he had a brand new axe just ready to be used. Lee got up and quietly chopped the lock off before scanning the area once more.

"Whatcha looking for?" Doug asks curiously.

"A distraction. The only way I'm getting over there is if we distract these things." Lee continued searching until he found a brick. He noticed a glass window and put two and two together, tossing the object to the delicate material. This made for a pretty loud noise, but the walkers didn't give much of a crap, as they only gave the TV store a glance before resuming their feast of human flesh.

"That's good, but it could be better. Have a remote?" Doug asks, a plan developing in his cranium. Lee handed his Dad's over since he wasn't gonna use it anytime soon.

"You can't actually use that thing on those can you?" Lee asked curiously. Doug began doodling with the buttons on the remote.

"Sure can. It's universal, I learned all the codes in IV class. Hopefully I can get this one.. There." With the click of the power button, the TV's turned from black to static in a matter of an instance.

"Well fucking done, Doug. All that dork nonsense might save a life." Lee cheered in a low voice.

"Who's to say it already hasn't?" Doug said with pride in his voice. The walkers stumbled over to the commotion and stood there, searching for their next treat. This gave Lee the opportunity to get up and walk over to his undead brother. "Stay safe!" Doug whispers just as Lee reached the street.

He approaches his brother, axe in hand. The zombified Everett brother looked up with his soulless, milky eyes and gave a growl as he tried to grab his brother. "Hey, bud.. I didn't think this would be our last time seeing each other. Hell, maybe it's a good thing. I fucked everything up, but I bet you died protecting them, huh?" The walker grunted, swatting at the air as Lee gave a deep sigh.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there. Goodbye, bro." With a hard swallow and a few tears, Lee got up and swung the axe into his brother's neck, causing the corpse to briefly groan and lower its head. Seconds later, it came back to life with a loud yelp that caught the attention of a few walkers, who began stumbling towards Lee. With a few more swings, Lee was eventually able to put down his brother and search his corpse. He did find the keys, thank god.

"Holy crap, run!" Doug yelped as several walkers began strutting towards the unaware Lee. Shocked, the convicted killer sprinted back to the drug store and tried his best to shut and seal the door so none of them could get in.

"That was way too close." Doug panted, opening the door for Lee.

"Agreed, let's go." With that, the two headed back inside, shutting the door behind them.

"What's up?" Carley asked, everyone looking at the two with curiosity.

"We got the keys. It wasn't easy, but it's done." Lee announced, causing Lilly to jump up with a sigh of relief.

"Yes! God, you're amazing, Lee. Thank you. Let's get in there." She thanked, leading him to the back. Clementine kept her distance and looked away when Lee gave her a smile. Once in the office, Lee took out the keys and stuck it right into the keyhole, opening the door easily. The two smiled at eachother before taking one fatal step inside. The second they got in, it set off the alarm which was blaring as loud as a dinner bell.

"Oh shit." Lee grunted in frustration.

"We gotta hurry, c'mon!" Lilly ordered, the two began dashing through the room, collecting as many nitroglycerin pills as they could. They came right out to see everyone else up on their feet but Larry. Lilly rushed to his side with the pills and fed them to him as the sound of banging against the walls, windows and door boomed through the building.

"I'm gonna get the truck goin' around back!" Kenny yelled amongst the chaos.

"Do it fast! We gotta get out of here!" Lilly replied, lifting him back up and moving towards the office door next to Glenn.

"I don't plan on dilly dallying. Doug, Carley and Lee, you make sure our defenses stay up until you hear me honkin' in the alley. At that point you should haul ass outside." The three nodded in understanding as they made their ways to the unsafe door. "And Lee, I better take that axe in case I run into any of them on our way to the truck." Lee tossed the fire axe over easily into Kenny's hand.

"Be safe." Lee said with a nod, barricading the door with his back as Kenny and his family disappeared into the office. Soon after, Katjaa could be heard yelling for someone, so Glenn took the call of duty and went off to help. Clem approached the struggling trio against the door apprehensively before Lee yelled at her.

"Clementine! Can you find something to stick in between the handles? Something real strong, okay?!"

"O-okay!" Clementine ran away to some other part of the store as more walkers piled up against the door.

"Lee, you should know, if we don't make it through this.. I think you're a great guy." Doug told Lee, holding his shoulder against the door.

"Gee, thanks Doug." Lee replied, somewhat flattered.

"Doug, if we don't make it through this, you should know that you're kind of cute!" Carley shouted over the growling walkers.

"What? Seriously?" Doug asked with a really happy grin as wide as his face itself. Suddenly, a barricade went down and several walkers swarmed into the place. Carley took out her gun and began shooting them.

"I'll cover this side, you guys stay here!" With that, Carley was off.

"Okay then. Clementine, did you find anything?" Lee asks again, trying to speak loudly so that the girl can hear him.

"Nothing! Oh wait." Clem ran back to the office just as a window was punched in by a gorked female walker.

"That window is screwed, dude." Doug said anxiously, back against the door as even more walkers struggled against it.

"Go!" Lee ordered. Doug reluctantly followed and dashed to the window. Soon, a wild Clementine appeared with the cane Lee's father had.

"I found something!" She exclaimed, proud of herself as she handed the cane to Lee. He took it and stuck it between the handles. When he looked back, he saw before him a choice. Carley was screeching for help, a couple of walkers cornering her as she yelled about empty ammunition and that she needed Lee to get some in her purse. He looked over to the right and saw Doug screaming for his life as a walker pulled on his shoulders, trying to devour his chubby body. Lee had to make a choice and Clementine was watching: Carley or Doug?

Choices:

A. Carley

B. Doug

C. Don't save either

Relationships:

Clementine is a bit afraid of you but is glad you're okay. Now she's scared that you might have to get someone killed.

Glenn thinks you're a hopeless asshat.

Carley is a bit shocked at your decision to let Irene die, but still somewhat trusts you.

Doug views you as a cool dude and a good friend, despite knowing you for barely a day.

Kenny views you as a loyal companion and a capable guy.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Lilly thinks you're a good guy.

Larry doesn't like you.


	17. Vince Interlude and the Climax

Lee had to act quick, so he charged towards his right where the reporter was struggling to grab her purse. He managed to snake his hand into her purse and chuck a magazine into her hands, allowing for her to put it into the pistol. She shot both walkers point blank and gave Lee a thankful nod.

The sounds of screaming came from the other side of the store as Doug was pulled out by four or so walkers. "No, get them off of me!" Lee was about to run to his side, only for Carley to grab his wrist with a frown on her face. She looked heartbroken before walking away, whispering something to herself as Clementine shrieked in horror, running away from the scene.

"They.. They got Doug.." She muttered to herself, too sad to acknowledge that Clementine was attacked, her ankle grabbed by a downed dead one. Lee rushed to her side and proceeded to stomp it's head in until Clem was able to escape. Kenny's truck horn was heard in the alley, so Carley, Lilly and Clementine began walking out the door as well. Lee was catching up with them, when Larry stopped him, a mean glare on his face.

"You are not coming with us, you sunnuva bitch!" The old man told Lee before punching him square in the face. The sound of crawling got closer while Lee laid on the ground, trying to pick himself up. But Larry was strong, and he really did knock him flat. Just as a walker was inches away from Lee, and he thought he would die here, Kenny rushed out to his aid, took the axe and cut the walkers head so hard that he killed it.

"I'm not letting somebody else get eaten today," Kenny started, helping Lee up. "Especially a good friend." He added with a nod. Lee nodded back before slamming the door behind him, exiting the building and meeting up with Clementine, Duck, Katjaa and Carley in Kenny's truck. The others went in Glenn's pizza delivery car.

On the drive to the motor inn, where everyone agreed to rendezvous once in the office, Duck wouldn't stop talking to Clementine and Katjaa and Kenny were surprisingly pleased with how things went down. "Hey, Lee?" Kenny started, looking at him from the back mirror.

"Yeah?"

"What happened back there, with Larry? Why did he hit you?" Kenny asked with a stumped tone. "Because the way I see it, we saved that selfish asshole's life, when he threatened to hurt someone who is A. only ten, and B. my fuckin' son."

"I honestly don't know, and I don't plan on asking. Think I'll keep my distance in case he wants to do it again." Lee joked. He looked in the car mirror to see a bruise staining his cheek.

"I hear ya. Just know that I got your back in case he does that shit again." Kenny assured, pulling up to the motor inn filled with corpses.

"We're very appreciative, Lee. And Ken, please try to make peace with that man. We're only so many people left, you know." Katjaa said, looking around at the new location.

"I.. I'll try, hon." With that, the truck stopped right next to Glenn's and everyone got out.

About an hour later, Lilly and Kenny finished pulling out the bodies and surveying the area. Lee hadn't checked in on Clementine because Duck was talking her head off and he was busy in his head anyways. He looked down at the picture of his family as screams echoed out in the woods. He closed his eyes and dropped the single picture of himself. Clementine definitely took notice.

Lee looked back and decided that he should try talking to everyone, especially Clem. But not Larry. Not yet. He started with Glenn, who looked concerned to say the least. "Hey, Glenn, what's on your mind?" Glenn stopped him, holding up his hand as the radio in his car alerted him about the current status of several states, including Atlanta at a stage nine catastrophe.

"I'm leaving." He said blankly, looking towards the pile of bodies being slowly buried by Lilly.

"To Atlanta?" Lee asked, though the answer was obvious.

"What do you care? You let that girl die up there. I'm not letting the same thing happen to my friends." Glenn spat at the college professor.

"Now hold on a minute. That girl had seen her boyfriend die due to the bite, Larry told us what happens when someone gets bit. I ended her suffering, you make it sound like I murdered her!" Lee defended, giving Glenn a piece of his mind. The young man stared for a while before getting into his car and slamming the door, driving off.

"Where's he going?" Kenny asked Lee out of nowhere.

"He left to go to Atlanta. He's definitely not coming back." Lee stoically answered, staring at the open road.

"Damn. Hope he's okay. Anyways, there's an RV here." He replied, looking at the vehicle. Lee gave it a glance as well.

"I noticed." He said with a soft smile.

"Well, I'm just saying that if we ever need to leave for any reason, that's our ticket out of here. This motor inn is one lucky find, dontcha think?" Kenny began walking towards his truck, leaning on the back.

"As lucky as you can get in the apocalypse." Lee said with a smirk.

"Anyways, like I said earlier, if you ever need me to help you, I got your back, man. You defended Duck from that loud mouthed piece of shit, and you prevented Shawn's death at the farm. I don't think either of us would be too happy with that kid's blood on our hands." Kenny huffed, thinking of all the ways that situation could have gone from scary to terrifying.

"Thanks, Kenny. Really, I appreciate it, man." Lee said sincerely.

"You got it." The family man walked off next to his wife and Lilly as they finished burying the remains of the undead. Next, he walked towards Carley, who was going through a box of equipment that she found at the drugstore.

"Hey, Car. Rough night, huh?" He asked with folded arms, looking at her tan hands.

"You could say that. This is gonna sound stupid, but that Doug guy, I think I liked him." She confessed, stopping her digging to fully listen to him.

"I think he liked you too. He saved you, didn't he?" Lee humored.

"Thanks, Lee. You don't think you could have saved both of us, do you?" Carley asked with a bit of sadness in her voice.

"No, I don't think so. It all happened pretty fast, you know?"

"Yeah.. I guess you're right. See ya." Lee was about to walk towards Clementine, she looked back up and stopped him. "Lee? How did you choose? We both needed you, you picked me."

"You know I was going to help you both." Lee responded.

"But you picked me first." She said again, looking at the forest across from the motel.

"I'm sorry, Carley. I wish it could have been both of you." He said with a low tone, shaking his head as he stared at the stone ground.

"Me too. Thanks again for saving me, but I think I need some space." Carley said, returning back to her rummaging.

"I get it. See you, Car." The conversation ended and Lee made his way towards Clementine, Larry glaring hard at him the whole way. Eventually he made it to an energized Duck and a sad Clem.

"Oh and then-"

"Duck, you wanna cool it for a minute?" Lee requested. Duck understood and walked away.

"Sorry, there's not a lot of kids here." Lee said, kneeling down to her level.

"No, it's not that. I got grabbed again." She said with a pout, looking away from Lee.

"But I was there. I'll never let one of those things hurt you on my watch." He stated, touching her shoulder with sympathetic eyes.

"I fell, and my walkie-talkie broke. Glenn just left and, well he had the other one." She sadly stated, looking down at the asphalt.

"Sorry about that Clem. Wish I could help." Lee removed his hand and got up.

"It's okay, I guess. Just don't let me get grabbed again, okay?" Clementine asked, her eyes begging for safety.

"I won't. Don't you worry." Lee replied with a warm smile, making Clementine smile back. It seemed like she had gotten over her little fear of Lee. Duck walked back up to Clem and continued talking, which seemed like Lee's cue to leave. While walking away, he heard Larry say his name.

"Lee, c'mere a second." The brolic elder said with a cock of his head. Lee breathed a heavy sigh before approaching. "You uh, like my daughter?"

"What's this about, Larry?" Lee asked, folding his arms in the same way Larry was now.

"It's about why I punched you and why you should stay away from her. I punched you because I know who you are, and I know you're a killer." Larry gave a shit eating grin like no other.

"I kept you fed and tried to respect you and your daughter and this is the thanks I get?" Lee asked, clearly frustrated.

"I appreciate it, but know this: If anything happens to my daughter or that little girl you got with you, you watch your ass." The two stared at each other for a few seconds menacingly before Lilly called Lee over, causing Larry to glare at him with daggers in his eyes. Lee followed her voice to the graves of the walkers anyways.

"My Dad would be dead if it weren't for you." The pilot said with a smile.

"Doug is dead because of me." Lee sorely said, looking to his feet.

"Don't put yourself down. You saved my Dad, Clementine, Glenn and Carley. You're only one man and yet you've already done so much." Lilly assured, the two smiling at each other. The sounds of a helicopter ripped through the sky and Kenny quickly approached the two.

"I hope that's the sounds of us winning this thing." He chirped with a smirk.

"Me too. This shit has got to end." Lee breathed in a sigh, looking to the sky.

"Chances are, the military will roll through this place. If we fortify this place with some walls, some cars, whatever then we can really make ourselves safe here."

"I actually really like that idea." Lilly responded, holding her hand on her hip.

"We got beds, water, medicine, food, gas and most importantly we got light. There are worse places to call home." Kenny says with almost pride in his voice. Suddenly, the street lights start going out one by one until the whole area is pitch black.

One day into the apocalypse.

"Man, I told you.. I-I have no idea who did it, it wasn't me man! Dude, Vince, c'mon, I-I don't even know your brother-" Bang. A bullet flared through the man's skull, killing him instantly. A young Asian man with black short hair named Vince began panting, realizing what he had done. He sprinted out of the house and into an alleyway, police sirens blaring as he attempted to run away. Suddenly, he realized if he was caught, they'd find the gun. He had to decide what to do with it. "Shit!" He muttered to himself.

Seconds later, he tossed the gun up on the roof of a building and made a mad dash for anywhere but the crime scene.

Two days into the apocalypse.

Vince sat on a prison bus, ankle chained to two others, Danny and Justin. The two were pulling on the chains while Vince sat there and looked out the window at the traffic heavy highway. Danny pulled on the chains again, in an attempt the two behind him. "C'mon, man. Cut that shit out." Justin sternly told the Latin man in front of Vince.

"Oh yeah, or what?" Danny teased. Justin pulled on the chain back.

"Or that." He replied with a shit eating grin.

"Oh shit! You feelin' this Vince? I'm getting Justin all worked up now." Danny announced with a playful smile.

"You aren't getting me worked up, it's just hot as balls in here."

"Oh, Vince, I'm making him hot now! I got that Latin heat you can't resist!"

Choices:

A. [Pull on the chains]

B. "You two partners in crime or something?

C." Would you two shut the fuck up?"

D. …

Relationships (Lee):

Clementine likes you, though you've taught her a valuable lesson: You can't save everyone.

Kenny views you as a loyal companion.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Lilly thinks you're a great guy.

Larry doesn't like you but appreciates what you did for his daughter.

Carley trusts you deeply.

Glenn thought you were a hopeless asshat.

Doug would have wanted you to save Carley.

Relationships (Vince):

Danny and Justin just met you.


	18. All For One

((due to a tie, I decided to flip a coin for the vote. B ended up winning, so that is the option we'll go with))

"You two partners in crime or something?" Vince teased, relaxing in his seat with a smug smile.

"He wishes, I rob, he rapes." Justin joked, offending Danny.

"Hey, what did I tell you?" Danny started.

"Here we go again.." The other man sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Seriously man, I was falsely accused!" He defended, giving

"We're all criminals here, man. No need to be ashamed in front of us." Vince assured.

"Huh. What are you in for, Vince?" Justin asked out of curiosity.

"I uh.. Helped my little brother." Vince replied stoically, staring at the ankle chains.

"They send you to prison for that?" Justin followed up before a pause of silence between the three took over, the sounds of arguing from the two other inmates taking over as the primary noise. "I bet it was for something stupid."

"Not gonna lie, guys," Danny started, changing the subject. "I'm really missing my girlfriend right now."

"Take it she didn't like your crime too much?" Justin guessed.

"Nah, man. Worst part is she hasn't spoken to me in months, it's really messing with me like you wouldn't believe." The latino male responded.

"Call her up when we get there. You both gotta face that shit." Vince told him, giving the man a knowing look as if he could relate.

"Yeah, you're right. First call I get." Danny replied, a confident smile on his face.

"Say, Justin, what're you in for?" Vince questioned.

"Pyramid scheme. Got some bucks for it and made out okay. Y'know, except for the whole arrested and sent to prison part." Justin explained, giving a smirk to the two.

"Aren't those kinda.. Shit?" Danny asked.

"Usually. But this was some pretty good shit." He responded.

"Good shit is still shit."

"It was some pretty elegant shit."

"How much did you make off with?" Vince interjected.

"Hundred? Two K?" Danny guessed.

"Little over a hundred.. Million." Justin saw the two others light up with surprised smirks.

"Goddamn, boy!" Danny exclaimed. "When we get outta here you, me and Vince, we need to go into business together."

"Actually, I don't know a thing about you, Vince." Justin stated, staring at Vince. "You 'helped your little brother', but how'd you get caught?"

"I tossed the gun up to a roof.."

"And?" The white collar criminal asked.

"And they found it the next morning, goddamn gutter cleaners." Vince explained.

"Man, that's bad luck, Vince. Ha, Bad-Luck-Vince! That's got a ring to it." Danny joked, a big smile on his face. His smile faded when an argument between two inmates became loud enough for everyone on the bus to hear, which wasn't many. Just the three amigos, the two guards up front and the two annoying douchebags arguing at each other.

"Fuck you!" The larger, bald headed one growled behind the other.

"Fuck me? Ha, no, fuck you, motherfucker." The much skinnier and older looking guy replied before the metal handcuffs around the brolic dudes wrists collided with the skinny guy's neck, pulling on it to choke him out.

"Crabtree, enough of that shit!" The southern officer with an action shotgun shouted, stepping closer to the door that led to the prisoners.

"Holy shit, get off of him, man!" Danny yelled, attempting to get up.

"Let the guard handle it, Danny." Justin said slowly, raising his hands as much as he could with cuffs on.

"Fuck that, we gotta get in there, if he won't." Danny argued back.

"I will, in a minute.. I need a minute to think." The officer yelled, a sweating, nervous wreck as he entered the prisoner section of the bus, aiming his shotgun at the attacker who was STILL choking the other dude out.

"Get in between them, goddamnit!" The driver commanded, shoving the southern, young officer toward the two.

"Crabtree, l-last warning." He threatened, though it sounded more like he was the one being threatened, the gun shaky in his hands. Still, the assaulter persisted. This frustrated Vince beyond belief.

"DO SOMETHING ALREADY!" Vince told the officer.

"I said let him go, goddamnit!" BOOM. The attacking man's head was blown off and his body went limp, the cuffs still against the other convicts neck. A silence took over the bus as everyone stared in horror at what they just witnessed.

"What did you do, boy?!" The driver yelled at him, getting back in his seat to find the radio.

"Holy shit.." Justin said, as shocked as the others.

"He should have moved! I.. I-I don't know.." The murdering cop defended.

"He should have moved, or you don't know? God this is fucked.." Justin muttered, looking out the window. Suddenly, a low gargle came from the skinny guy's mouth. He must be still alive, right?

"Get the cuffs off him, man. He's still alive!" Danny said, pointing at the criminal. The cop nodded and used the key around his belt to take his cuffs off. Crabtree's hands slipped off and his body fell to the floor, however the man he attacked didn't move a muscle.

"Is he dead?" Vince asked, the officer checking his pulse.

"He uh.. He is.." The cop confirmed.

"Oh my god. You- you gotta call someone man!" The latino barked.

"W-what? No, it's fine!"

"I'm calling this in." The driver announced, getting on the radio and contacting dispatch.

"N-no, don't call it in." The cop pleaded.

"That blood is on your hands, you gotta deal with that shit." Vince drilled into the officer's brain.

"Shut up, okay?! Just shut your mouth!" The violent security officer raised his gun to Vince and Justin, but Danny managed to stand up in front of the two to protect them.

"You really wanna pull that trigger again, son?" Danny asked, staring at the shaky barrel. Eventually, the cop stopped and lowered the gun. Danny sat back down.

"Thanks, man." Justin thanked his friend, everyone still shaken up. A couple of seconds later, screaming was heard from outside the bus and on the highway. People were leaving their vehicles and running away from chewed up, limping, man eating monsters. Those inside the bus looked on in disbelief.

"What the fuck is going on out there?" Justin asked, mouth agape.

"We need to get the hell out of here. Hey, officer, take these cuffs off." Danny told the security guy.

"It's fine, we're safe inside the bus, nothing's gonna-" Just as he was about to finish, the choked out prisoner came back from the dead and bit the neck outta the guy. He stumbled to the ground before passing out as the now reanimated corpse attempted to attack Vince, Justin and Danny.

"Oh my god.." The three said at almost the same time, eyes wide in terror at the ghoul.

"What the fuck is going on?!" Justin yelled in frustration, leaning away from the walker along with the other two. The chain kept them from going too far, though.

"Hey, driver, you gotta-" Danny was about to finish when he noticed the driver hauled ass outta the bus, nowhere to be seen. "Fucking asshole, are you serious?!"

"We gotta kill this thing before it kills us. That ankle chain ain't gonna hold if he keeps yanking at it with that much force." Vince explained, looking around for a solution.

"Well, what about the shotgun, the one the officer had?" Justin suggested.

"Yeah, yeah the gun, good thinkin' Justin!" Danny praised, a light smile on his face before he turned back to panic. "Where's the gun?"

Vince let out a sigh before answering. "I.. I think he collapsed on it when he got attacked."

"Fuck. Fine, on three we push him off. Ready?" Justin asked with an eye roll. The two nodded, leaning toward the white cops dying soul. "One.. Two, three!" With a bit of force, eventually the body was moved and the huge, threatening shotgun was revealed. The two in front and back leaped back to their seats as Vince grabbed the gun and aimed it at the corpse.

"Shoot this asshole, Vince!" Danny yelled just before his friend pulled the trigger and blew his brains out over the seats and floor. It seemed peaceful now, despite the ringing in their ears and the screaming outside.

"Okay, now what?" Justin asked, panting heavily.

"Now, we get out of here." Danny replied.

"How, dipshit?" Justin asked, holding down some bile as he looked at the two, no, three corpses in the bus.

"Justin, Danny, please, kindly, shut up and let me think." After looking around the bus, Vince could only consider two options: Either A. He shoots off the chains until he either runs out of bullets or it breaks off or B. Shoot the locks near their ankles, which was out of the question.

Eventually, a figure walked onto the bus and began searching the front. Danny noticed and a smile lit his face up. "Hey, guys, maybe this is our big break."

"Danny, wait-" Justin tried to stop him, but..

"Hey, buddy! What the fuck..?" It was, of course, a walker who was now banging on the door in an attempt to break in and get a bite to eat.

"Goddamnit, Danny! You always gotta fuck everything up-" Justin sighed.

"Fuck you, man!" Danny replied, raising his voice.

"Guys! Quit bickering. We need a solution." Vince and the others looked up to see more walkers entering the bus and attempting to get in.

"Alright, alright. Can't we just shoot off the chains?" Justin suggested. Vince shrugged and shot at the chains, however this did nothing just as he suspected.

"Won't cut through." Vince said obviously.

"What about the cuff? If we shoot that off, the chain'll slip right through." Danny suggested back, pointing at the piece of metal on their ankles that held the chains together as he took the handcuffs off of himself with the key from the guards corpse, then handed it to Vince and Justin who did the same whilst debating.

"Are you fuckin' insane? What do you think is gonna happen if you fire a shotgun that is close to someone's foot?" Justin pointed out, throwing the key away after they were all uncuffed.

"Yeah? Well, what do YOU think is gonna happen if we don't get the fuck outta here?" Danny spat back. "Vince, gimme the gun, I gotta do this!" Danny reached for the gun, and so did Justin, but Vince wasn't giving it up, and now he had to make the choice: Who's foot to shoot off?

Choices:

A. Shoot Danny

B. Shoot Justin

C. Shoot your own cuff

Relationships:

Although you've only known them a short while, Danny and Justin seem like good pals to you.


	19. A Selfless Sacrifice

((This is it, guys! Final part of episode 1. I hope you've enjoyed it so far. The story part is short, but I have a little surprise for you guys near the end. I'd like to shout out Worker72 for the idea. Anyways, onto the story!~))

Vince rolled his eyes and after careful consideration, he decided that these two are more valuable than him. Danny seems like a good guy and Justin is smart and resourceful. The two buddies of his looked at him with shocked expressions, terrified to see who he'd pick. He decided on himself, aiming the gun down and firing to blast off his leg. He collapsed to the ground, screaming in pain before quickly shooting off the rest.

"Go! GO YOU BASTARDS!" He yelled at them, clutching his leg as blood gushed from the wound. The two pulled the chains off and were officially free.

"Vince, you're fucking crazy." Justin said in between pants as he headed for the door.

"V-Vince.. I won't forget this. I'm sorry." Danny muttered to his friend before leaving the bus with Justin, walkers piling into the back.

"Just fucking go!" Were Vince's last words before an agonizing scream came from his lips as walker after walker piled on him and took a chunk of his flesh.

Choices throughout the episode:

Chapter 1: You guys went for help during daytime. If you had gone during night, Chet would have become a walker and you would have met a new character.

Chapter 2: You guys chose to tell Shawn the truth. If you would have lied, Clementine's relationship with you would become untrustworthy. You would teach Clem that lying is okay and that would have come in later. If you said nothing, Lee would be silent until the next chapter which would make your relationship with Shawn and whoever he was with go down..

Chapter 3: You guys asked Clementine where she wanted to go. She decided on the farm. If you had decided on the drugstore, you would meet Lilly, Larry, Glenn, Carley and Doug early without the Duck drama. If you agreed to Shawn's offer, you'd go to the farm anyways.

Chapter 4: You guys were honest with Hershel, however he was skeptical of you he ended up believing you in the end. If you had lied to him, he would not trust you at all and if you were quiet he would hate you.

Chapter 5: You guys told Lee to say "Shit" Those who have played the game know what this choice will do later but for now I'll keep it secret.

Chapter 6: You guys decided to keep it canon and asked Hershel if you could help. If you had chosen either tell Kenny you're not interested or ask if you can stay, depending on your choices next chapter you could stay with Hershel. If you had chosen to tell Kenny that you're ready to go, Shawn would have an off screen death because you would have left early.

Chapter 7: You guys saved Shawn which will come into play later. If you saved Duck, Shawn would die and, well I don't wanna spoil anything else. Your relationship with Kenny, Clem, Duck and Kat would go up greatly though. If you did nothing, Shawn dies and Clementine, Duck and Kenny's relationships with Lee greatly go down. Kat's goes down just a little.

Chapter 8: Only happens if you save Shawn, if you guys were to accept the offer then you would have stayed with Hershel's group, eventually meeting with another playable character.

Chapter 9: You guys chose to be neutral by saying "She's not wrong." If you had called her an asshole, Lilly and Larry's relationships would go greatly down. If you had said she's the leader, Kenny's relationship would go down and Lilly and Larry would go up.

Chapter 10: You sided with Kenny passively, if you did so violently, your relationship with basically everyone but Kenny, Kat and Duck would down at least a bit. A lot in Larry and Lilly's case. If you sided with Larry, Kenny would hate Lee, Katjaa would dislike him and Duck would dislike him, same with basically everyone but Larry and Lilly who would like Lee a whole lot more, meaning Larry doesn't punch Lee. Saying nothing means only Kenny and Katjaa dislike Lee more.

Chapter 11: Obviously, whoever you gave the candy bars to would like you more. If you gave none to Clem then Carley and Kenny would judge you.

Chapter 12: You guys chose to trust Carley, however if you chose either I don't trust you or you better, then Carley would therefore like you less. However saying nothing would do nothing for the relationship.

Chapter 13: You guys chose to be honest with Clem, which scared her a little. If you had lied, she would have believed it but only so she didn't have to think of you as a killer. If you had told her you beat someone in a fight then she would understand and like you more. If you said this is their store, she'd just be sad for you, improving your relationship.

Chapter 14: You guys decided to save Glenn's damsel in distress, but if you had gone back then Lee would have never gotten the axe, meaning Lee would have to find another way out to the streets. Glenn would be a bit mad, but luckily Doug would be able to unlock and relock the gate door guarding the drugstore meaning Carley and Doug survive and eventually get together in episode 2.

Chapter 15: If you guys were to choose to not let Irene kill herself, Glenn and Carley would like you more. Irene would kill herself anyways by stealing the gun like in canon.

Chapter 16: If you guys had chosen to save Doug, Carley would die instead, but you guys chose the dead eyed reporter, Carley. You could have also been super evil and saved no one. Clem would have seen and learned that you have the power to end anyone's life at a moment's notice, becoming petrified of you. Obviously, neither would live.

Chapter 17: This choice didn't matter too much. You guys chose to be friendly with the two, which meant that you guys became friends. If you had pulled on the chains, Vince would be a bit more of an asshole. If you chose to tell them to shut up, you wouldn't be friends with Danny or Justin and finally, saying nothing would cause Vince to be mute the rest of the chapter.

Chapter 18: This choice is still fresh, so I don't wanna spoil what consequences this choice has. It's pretty straightforward: Shoot Danny and Justin lives, shoot Justin and Danny lives. Shoot Vince and, well you get it. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this little bonus and get ready for episode 2!


	20. The Hunt For Food

Three months later after episode 1, we find Lee crouched behind a walker feasting away at an unknown substance. Lee picks up the weapon before slamming the sharp edge into the walkers head, killing it. Lee pulled the axe out and stood over the walker food, which appeared to be a rabbit.

"Great, what did they get this time?" A new voice asked as a man with glasses, stubble and black hair walked up to Lee. His name was Mark.

"A rabbit. Not much of a meal but, shit, I'd take it." Lee explained with a shake of his head.

"Let's get going before we lose even more dinner." Mark said, beginning to lead Lee through the woods trail. "Last night, I accidentally went for Carley's rations and the look she gave me said: 'I'm going to destroy you'. We need this food, man."

"She's just stressed, and yeah definitely hungry. Aren't we all?" Lee asked as he scanned the area for animals.

"I'm just saying, it kinda freaked me out how savage we're getting over food." Mark responded, aiming at a bush with his rifle. Alas, nothing was there. The two continued down the trail.

"Maybe if you'd have stayed at the Air Force base you wouldn't be in this predicament." Lee argued.

"Yeah, except then I'd probably be food by now. Trust me, I have no regrets." Mark replied, shaking his head at the state of the base. "Larry and Lilly were fighting with Kenny again about that RV." He changed the subject.

"Yeah, I heard. Lilly's a good leader, but as a group we should be able to make our own decisions." Lee told the man.

"What do you think about that plan of his?"

"Well, Kenny's my friend but I'm just not sure yet. We might have to go soon but I don't want that to be true." Lee told Mark.

"I don't think Lilly would be too glad to hear that. And don't even get me started on Larry. What's with that guy anyways?" Mark questioned, asking Lee because he knew the two had history.

Choices:

A: "He's an old, racist asshole."

B: "Larry's just looking out for his daughter."

C: "Like I said, everyone is hungry."

D: …

Relationships:

Clementine views you as her sole protector, and a good friend.

Kenny sees you as a loyal companion and friend.

Lilly likes you but knows her Dad doesn't.

Larry doesn't like you, but knows Lilly does.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Carley is forever grateful you saved her, you are friends.

Mark is a good friend of Lee's.

((Guys, before I end this off, I'd just like to say that Danny and Justin will have a role later, depending on your play. Just wanted to clear the air on that. And in season 2, every 400 Days character will have at least a role to play. Thanks for reading and make sure to vote!))


	21. The Teeth of Metal

"Larry's just.. Looking out for his daughter." Lee gave his take to Mark, half because he knew it was true, and half because he was always pretty scared of Larry, especially after he told him he knew who he was.

"Lilly does not need to be looked after. She's ex military. The guy could lay off of the rest of us from time to time." Mark argued. He didn't know Larry for very long, but from what he's seen and heard he knew his game.

"I guess you're right. Still, that's just how I see it." Lee replies, passive and friendly.

"Speaking of which, I know Lilly thinks he's getting weaker, but the guys all muscle. He's a walking pile driver" Mark started, then remembered something that Lee had told him a while back. "I know I wouldn't want to be stuck in a room with him. And didn't he punch you in the face one time?"

"Yeah, knocked me flat." Lee grumbled, realizing Mark may have been right. The two continued walking until the cries of a crow was heard in the trees. Mark excitedly raised to a nearby bush and took aim. Lee followed suit and crouched next to the man.

"Think I can take it?" Mark asked, holding his finger against the trigger.

"Don't. Sound will draw walkers. One measly bird isn't worth it." Lee said wisely, watching as Mark went from excited to disappointed.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just really freakin' hungry."

Suddenly, an ear piercing scream echoed through the woods, scaring the crow off. "What the fuck?! Was that Kenny?" Mark asked in shock.

"I don't know, let's go check it out!" Lee replies and the two sprinted through the woods, following even more agonizing screams until they found a group of three. A bearded guy and two teenagers. The older male had gotten his leg stuck in a bear trap while one of the teens was trying to set him free.

"Travis, look!" The blonde one called, pointing at the duo. Travis looked up to see Lee and Mark with rifles clutched in their hands.

"Oh no, no! Please leave us alone, we didn't do anything wrong, we'll leave I swear!" The raven haired kid panicked, raising his arms in surrender. Out of the blue cane Kenny with a concerned shock on his face.

"Lee, Mark, are you o- holy shit.." Kenny looked down at the man and had to practically force himself not to yell out the last two words.

"Wait, Travis, maybe they can help!" The scrawnier, taller one suggested.

"No way, Ben, these guys could be the same people who raided our camp and we barely got away from that!" Travis barked back, though his hands were shaking like crazy.

"What guys? We're not here to rob anybody!" Lee explained.

"What the fuck is a bear trap doing out here?" Kenny asked, not really expecting a response.

"Lee, this is fucked up, we gotta help them." Mark looked up at the ex teacher. Lee thought for a second, pacing around.

"Please just get me free and then we'll leave, okay?" David, the older man pleaded, tears streaking his face.

"Was he bitten?" Lee asked simply, still thinking of something to do.

"What? No way!" Ben responded quickly. The footsteps of the dead shuffled alongside the dirt and alerted the guys to their presence.

"Lee, you gotta decide. Are we helping these kids or not. We got walkers on us, so we should get going." Kenny cruelty implies leaving the poor people to deal with this and the walkers alone.

"Lee, c'mon, you know you're better than this! Help him, we'll hold off the walkers!" Mark yelled to his friend, raising his rifle towards the walkers.

Choices:

A: Try to save David

B: Leave him.

Relationships:

Clementine sees you as her sole protector and a good friend.

Kenny views you as a loyal companion and great friend.

Lilly likes you but knows her dad doesn't.

Larry doesn't like you but knows his daughter does.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Carley is forever grateful you saved her life. You're good friends.

Lee and Mark are friends.

Ben, David and Travis need your help desperately.


	22. Dispute at the Motor Inn

Lee decided that the best course of action was to help the man out, it would haunt him if he knew he had practically killed this guy. He approached David and held his axe confidently. "Mark, keep the boys back. Kenny, keep those walkers off of me."

"Damnit, Lee. You're lucky I ain't Lilly." Kenny cursed, raising his rifle to shoot at the infected approaching the small group. Lee scanned the bear trap and decided his best bet was to pry the trap open, then the man could crawl his way out. So, he dug his axe underneath the trap and forced the sharp end as hard as he could against the trap.

"Oh god, please, please stop!" David screeched, wiggling in pain. Lee complied as this was getting him nowhere. Gunfire was heard from Kenny and Mark's guns and Lee could feel the pressure on him rise up. He got up and raised the axe, looking at the chain connecting the bear trap to a tree. Maybe, if he broke the chain, they'd be able to carry him out.

He began hacking, the metal chiming as Lee hit it. After a fourth strike, Mark stopped him. "Those are the kinds of chains that require fire to destroy. You gotta think of something else, something that will work."

"I know! I'm thinking!" Lee shot back, giving Mark a frustrated look.

"Damn it, Lee.. Just, just cut off his fucking leg!" Mark yelled, seeing no other option.

"What?! You're crazy!" Travis objected, not wanting to see his teacher get hurt so badly.

"I mean.. What other choice do we have? At this point I'm just wasting ammo, we gotta go, now. So chop him out and let's haul ass back to the motor inn." Kenny ordered, putting his gun away.

"No, no, no! Try the trap again! Anything but that!" David begged, shaking his head back and forth.

"I'm sorry, it's the only way." Lee whispered, picking the axe up over his shoulder before slamming it into the middle aged man's leg. He let out a desperate cry of agony while his students Ben and Travis watched in horror. Lee swung again, and again, and again until the man's leg was no more. He then let out a scream of horrific pain before collapsing, his eyes closed. Travis vomited.

"Is he okay?" Ben asked, his eyes wide with shock.

"He just passed out. C'mon, follow us." Lee explained. Mark picked up Lee just in time for Travis to rejoin the group. The five men made a run for it, with poor Mr. Parker down a leg and down on his luck.

**This is episode 2**

We cut to Lilly surveying the area on top of the RV. All seems to be calm, everyone is out either working on the wall or relaxing. The calm stops, once screams are heard all the way out in the woods, followed by gunshots and footsteps that sound like running. Lilly signals everyone to stand down and hide. She holds her rifle to the opening of the woods that bridges between the street and the motel, her finger on the trigger. Then, outcomes Lee, Kenny, Mark and the two new boys with their one legged teacher.

"Get the gates open, we've got wounded!" Lee called, waving his arms up. Carley and Katjaa opened up the gate protecting the motor inn and allowed the group to come back in.

"Who the hell are these people!?" Larry asked, obviously angry.

"Lee, are you okay?" The sweet voice of Clementine asked.

"Put him in the truck, I'll see what I can do.." Katjaa pointed to the back of the vehicle.

"Kat, can you fix him?" Kenny asked his wife.

"Jesus, Ken, I-"

"Lee!" Lilly interrupted the chaos with a stern voice. "What the hell, you can't be bringing new people here, what were you thinking?!" Lilly asked, pissed off.

"Hey, you wanna calm down for a fuckin' minute?" Kenny barked back, Travis and Ben backing away from the loud arguing.

"No, I don't! I wanna know why you thought bringing more mouths to feed was a good idea." Lilly looked intently at Lee, her eyebrows furrowed. She liked Lee, but they had their rules and he had just about broken them.

"They would have died if we left them. That's inhuman, Lilly!" Lee defended.

"Then we let 'em! Who's to say it's our responsibility?" Larry questioned.

"Dad makes a good point. We are not responsible for every struggling survivor we come across." The military woman said.

"Lee's right, Lilly," Mark started. "These are people. People trying to survive just like us." Lilly stared at the new recruit with a glare.

"The only reason you're here is because you had food, enough for all of us. But that food is almost gone, we've got maybe a week's worth left. And I don't suppose you guys are carrying any groceries, are you?"

"Um.. No." Ben said, his shoulders low.

"I uh.. I have a cookie." Travis commented, showing the treat from his pocket.

"A cookie? One cookie? Wow, we're saved, thank you so much." Lilly grumbled, face palming. Clementine got between Travis and Ben and pulled on their hands.

"Come over here and see what I drew.." she said subtly to the boys.

"No way, kid. Leave me alone." Travis spat at her, tugging his arm away before walking over to Katjaa.

"Just come on, okay?" Clem said to Ben, pulling him away. He felt like he had nothing to do but comply.

"You know, you like to think you're the leader of this little group, but we can make our own goddamn decisions! This isn't your own.. personal dictatorship." Kenny put his rifle down as he spoke.

"Well, I don't see any of you making the hard decisions, my girls got more balls than all of you combined!" Larry said, defending his daughter. Carley shook her head and walked back to her lawn chair.

"Dad, please. Why don't you and Mark go work on the wall?" She asked. Larry shrugged and made his way to the wooden wall. Mark followed.

"Lee, what do you think? You think she's right about this shit?" Kenny asked. Lilly looked at the two with a brow raised, waiting for a response.

Choices:

A: Kenny's right

B: Lilly's right

C: It's a democracy, guys!

D: What about me as a leader?

Relationships:

Clementine views you as a hero and a good friend.

Kenny views you as a great friend and loyal companion.

Lilly thinks you're a good guy but knows her dad doesn't.

Larry doesn't like you but knows Lilly does.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet and altruistic.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Carley is forever grateful you saved her. You two are good friends.

Lee and Mark are good friends.

Ben is thankful you saved his teacher.

Travis is bitter but thankful.

Davis is very thankful, even if he didn't want to be cut out.


	23. Starved For Help

"It's a democracy, guys! You can't just keep on fighting for leadership when the whole group has a say in things." Lee replied, getting a glare from both parties.

"That's how you feel? Look, man, it may feel good to sit on the fence for now, but eventually you're going to have to pick a side." Kenny said back, his hand curled into a fist as he walked back to the RV.

"Why are we treating this like it's politics? The reasonable thing to do is stay level headed and treat everyone as an equal." Lee explained to Lilly.

"You think I like leading this group? You may think we don't need a leader but it's necessary for survival. People are happy until they're hungry, then suddenly I'm a goddamn nazi!" Lilly vented, walking over to a box with Lee following her.

"That's not how I feel, Lilly. You're a good person, really. I just don't think we need to have one leader leading this group." He denied, wondering what she was doing going through some box. Until he realized that was their rations.

"You know what? You think being the leader is so easy, why don't you try doing something I have to do daily?" Lilly shoves the rest of the rations into Lee's hands with a sarcastic smile.

"Lilly, c'mon.."

"No, I'm serious. There's today's food rations, but there's not enough for everyone. I'm sorry to put this on you, but this is the best way to show you that a leader is necessary." Lilly said, taking her hands away from Lee.

"Fine, I'll do it." Lee agreed, looking at the food. He had an apple, two packets of cheese and crackers and a piece of jerky.

"Thank you." She huffed before heading up to the roof of the RV, getting back on watch. Lee looked around to see everyone's eyes on him. He only had four food items for eleven hungry people. It was time to make a choice.

Choices (choose four)

A: Feed Clementine

B: Feed Kenny

C: Feed Lilly

D: Feed Larry

E: Feed Duck

F: Feed Katjaa

G: Feed Carley

H: Feed Mark

I: Feed Ben and Travis

J: Feed yourself

Relationships:

Clementine views you as a hero and a good friend.

Kenny thinks you're a great friend, but is sick of your neutrality.

Lilly thinks you're a good guy but knows her dad doesn't.

Larry doesn't really like you but knows Lilly does.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet and altruistic.

Duck thinks you're awesome.

Carley is a good friend, she agrees with your democratic choice.

You and Mark are good friends, he also agrees with your democratic choice.

Ben is thankful you saved his teacher.

Travis is bitter but thankful.

David is very thankful even if he didn't want to be cut out.


	24. Who To Feed?

((The votes came down to a three way tie to who the last character to be fed would be, so I had asked for a tie breaker from another walking dead fan I know. He ended up choosing Larry, so the vote was Clem, Duck, Larry and Mark who got fed. Anyways, enjoy chapter twenty three!))

Lee huffed, gripping the food hard. He turned around to Travis and Katjaa and began walking toward them, looking to see if the boy's teacher would be okay. "Hey, Katjaa, how is he?"

"He's not looking good. Travis, apply pressure to this part, would you?" The veterinarian asked the teenage boy.

"Sure thing." Travis did as he was told, holding down on his teacher's leg.

"You know, I'm used to stitching up wounds for kids if they get hurt, or cleaning a cut, but Lee this man has no leg!" Katjaa stressed, turning to the dark skinned teacher.

"It was the right thing to do, Kat. Me and your husband decided that." Lee explained, folding his arms. He didn't notice that Travis had a look of guilt on his face.

"Heh, figures. I love that man to death but sometimes he can be as dumb as a bag of hammers." Kat responded, giving an eye roll.

"I'm just happy you guys are helping. We really fucked it up out there, and if you had listened to us, Mr. Parker wouldn't be here right now. Thanks." Travis nodded at Lee before looking back down at the wound. Our main character stepped away and looked back down at the food, knowing exactly who he'd feed first: the kids.

He approached the creative Clementine, who was drawing a picture next to the new kid, Ben and Duck. When she noticed him, she got up and this is when he realized she was missing her hat. "Hey, Clementine. Where's your hat?"

"I don't know. Can you help me find it?" Clem asked with that cute little voice.

"Sure. When did you lose it?" Lee asked.

"I had it a couple of days ago." She responded.

"I promise, if I find it, I'll let you know." Lee smiles, ruffling her hair.

"Thank you." Clementine smiled back before sitting back down.

"Wait, Clementine, you need something to eat." He said, causing the girl to smile with excitement. She had a huge appetite as Lee had come to realize in the past couple of months. He really hated seeing her go hungry. He pulled out a half an apple and put it in the palm of her hand. "Here."

"I love apples! Thank you. Are there more?" She asked.

"Nah, honey, that's the last one." Lee replied with a smile.

"Oh.. Um.." He could tell she felt a bit guilty. She was awfully mature for her age.

"Don't worry. Enjoy it, you deserve it." With that, he got back up and looked toward Ben. "Hey, kid. How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay.. Hey, man, give it to me straight, is our teacher gonna make it?" The squeaky voiced teen asked as he looked up at the black jacketed man.

"Not gonna lie, kid, I don't know. It doesn't look too good, but Katjaa's a good doctor." Lee explained. He knew how helpless the kid felt, as only months prior he watched Doug get eaten and couldn't do a damn thing about it.

"I just can't believe we cut his leg off." Ben grimaced, trying to force the image out.

"It had to be done. I'm sorry you had to see that." He apologized, folding his arms. "So, what's your deal? If you plan on staying awhile, I'd like to know."

"The name's Ben, Ben Paul. That over there is Travis Dean. We were out on a band trip when this started happening. Almost none of us survived after some bandits raided our camp months ago. Mr. Parker kept us alive though, helped us when we needed it most." Ben explained.

"We'll try and fix him as best we can." Lee confidently said.

"Thank you." Ben replied, lowering his head back down. Somehow, he didn't believe him. Lee walked over to Duck next and crouched down next to him.

"Hey, Duck, how about some food?" The boy became enthusiastic as all hell, a goofy smile on his face. Lee handed him a packet of cheese and crackers and smiled back. Kenny noticed and gave a smirk.

"Wow, thanks, Lee! You're the coolest guy ever!" Duck exclaimed, tearing the package open to get at the contents of the protective seal.

"Don't mention it, kid." Lee replied, a red tint to his cheeks from the compliment. He looked up to see Carley giving him a puzzled look.

"Say, what are you doing?" She asked curiously, leaning forward in her lawn chair.

"Oh, Lilly's got me handing out the food." Lee explained, showing her the goods.

"Ooh, that's gotta suck." Carley replied, feeling bad for the guy. She knows she sure as hell couldn't do that.

"No kidding. What do you think I should do?" Lee asked, putting the food back in his pockets.

"Follow what you feel is best for the group, give to those who deserve it most, and don't forget your morals. At least, that's what I'd do." Carley responded.

"Thanks, Carley, that's some sound advice." Lee smiled at her, and she smiled back before he started walking towards Kenny. He couldn't get far when Carley grabbed his wrist.

"Wait, Lee.." Carley said, looking up into his dark eyes.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking behind him at the mocha girls tired eyes.

"I know I said it didn't matter that you saved me instead of Doug at the drugstore, but it does. If you ever need backup, I'll be there." She told him, giving him a wink as he held up her glock.

"I get you. Just know that if I could, I would save you both." Lee said genuinely, his look one of seriousness.

"You're a good man, Lee. Fuck what the press said about you, you're a good guy at heart." She whispered as to not allow others to hear about his past. He let out a small chuckle before moving over to Kenny, who seemed to be meddling with a pipe.

"Hey, Kenny. How are you doing?" Lee asked.

"Not gonna lie, Lee. I'm fucking starving. I see Lilly put you up to giving out rations, but just know that I don't need any. You gave some to my boy, and that's good enough." Kenny answered, giving a nod.

"Thanks, man. And no problem. Today's been kind of fucked up, huh?"

"You could say that. Didn't expect in my entire life that I'd ever see a guy get his leg chopped off." Kenny cringed and shivered at the horrid sight of David's decapitated leg.

"Heh, only during the walker age, huh?" Lee responded with a laugh.

"Is that what we're calling it? Anyways, I'm gonna stay here and rest. You should too." Kenny finished, leaning back in his chair. Lee walked over to Mark and Larry, feeling Lilly's eyes on his back as he approached them. This would suck, but feeding Larry would go a long way in being the guy's friend.

"Would you hold the damn board steady?!" Larry asked Mark, clearly pissed as usual.

"I'm trying, I didn't realize I was this weak all of a sudden." Mark panted back, lifting the wooden plank back up.

"What do you want, a handout? I got sixty cents in my pocket, if you shut up and quit being such a pansy." Larry showed a couple of coins before shoving it back in his pockets and going back to smashing a screw with a rock. Lee walked up to the two and called them.

"Hey, guys, how about some food?" The two men looked at Lee. Larry was confused, why would he feed the guy who punched him square in the face day one of their meeting? Mark had a smile on his face as he held his hands out for food, like a needy child at a homeless shelter. Lee gave Larry a piece of jerky and Mark a packet of crackers and cheese.

"Gee, thanks, man! I could use the extra strength." Mark said, stuffing the cheese and crackers in his mouth.

"I uh.. Appreciate it." Larry murmured, taking a bite of the meat. In less than a couple of seconds, both men had already eaten all of the food, the last food of the day. Lee realized this as his stomach growled in need of food.

"You guys need any help with the wall? I'll do anything to keep my mind off this hunger." Lee asked, staring at the decent wall in need of repair.

"Actually, we could use your axe." Mark replied after swallowing.

"Yeah, give us that thing for a bit." Larry impolitely agreed, his hands on his shoulders.

Choices:

A: Give axe to Mark

B: Give axe to Larry

Relationships:

Clementine is grateful that you fed her and thinks the world of you.

Kenny thinks you're a great friend, but isn't sure how loyal you are.

Lilly likes you and appreciates you feeding her dad.

Larry is confused. He doesn't know how to feel about you.

Mark views you as a good friend. He's very appreciative of your choice in feeding him.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet, she's grateful you fed her child.

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy ever.

Carley is practically your best friend. She doesn't care that you didn't feed her.

Ben is a bit bummed you didn't feed him but is thankful and understanding.

Travis is thankful you saved his teacher.

David is grateful you saved him, even if it brought him major pain.


	25. A Simple Trade

"Here, Larry. You are stronger, plus Mark could use a break." Lee gave the axe to the old man, the latter accepting it easily.

"Hmph, finally someone realizes who's the hardest worker around here. Aside from Lilly of course." Larry grumbled, giving Lee a nod before going back to his work.

"Relax, Larry, Lee said it best out in the woods, you're just looking out for your daughter. We all understand." Mark added, causing Larry to look at Lee who was smiling so innocently. The man was even more confused than before.

"I- you're right. Just, go do something else." With that, he turned back around and began using the axe on the wall. Lee made his way towards the RV and waved to Lilly.

"Not such an easy job, is it?" Lilly asked. Lee shook his head with a frown.

"I don't envy you. I don't know how you have the strength to do this every day." Lee answered.

"Well, that's what a leader does. I'm glad you see it how I do now." As Lilly finished her sentence, Kenny walked up to Lee.

"Lee, look-" He started.

"Kenny, I know I ran out of food before I could feed you, but-"

"But nothing. You fed the kids, man. That's all I can ask for. That's what a real man does." Kenny said with a sincere smile, catching Lee off guard.

"It was an easy choice with the kids, the two others, Larry and Mark, were the hard part." Lee looked around to see Ben and Travis giving him a glance before lowering the heads in disappointment. He looked at Carley and she looked back.

"Don't worry, Kenny's right, you did the right thing." She said before he could tell her anything.

"Ken, Lee, come here please!" Katjaa called the men, folding her now bloody arms while Travis paced in the background, muttering curses to himself.

"He didn't make it, did he?" Kenny asked, noticing the kids' reaction.

"He lost too much blood." Kat replied, lowering her head.

"Goddamnit!" Kenny growled, walking away. "I'm getting sick of this shit!" He tossed a pipe to the ground in anger.

"Ken, come back, there's nothing-"

"Let him go, Katjaa."

"But-"

"It's fine, he'll get over it. He's just frustrated that all that was for nothing." Lee explained.

"Fuck me! This is so stupid." Travis yelped, kicking the truck before walking towards Ben to tell him the news.

"That man you brought, I tried, but there was no way we could help him." Katjaa solemnly said.

"At least he's not our problem anymore." Lee replied.

"What about the other kids?" Katjaa asked Lee as if he could make that decision. While she was distracted, a pair of hands grabbed her by the jaw and pulled her toward it. It had become apparent that Mr. Parker had turned!

"Shit, Katjaa!" Lee forced Katjaa away from the monster before calling for help. "The axe, hurry!" The walker quickly grabbed Lee and pulled him into the back of the truck. Lee attempted to smash its head in against the vehicle, to no avail.

"Get out of the damn way!" Larry yelled, holding the axe in preparation to smash the walker. Lee pushed it toward Larry's range, but he ended up missing and breaking the glass of the back window instead. "Damnit, I had it!" The axe got stuck! As Larry tried to pull it out, Lee squirmed away and tried to escape the walker.

When backing away from the infected man, Lee fell off the back of the truck and onto the concrete floor below. Soon after, the turned David joined him, attempting to get a bite out of his neck. Lee managed to hold him back by forcing his fingers into its eyes until finally Carley showed up with her glock. "Shoot it!" Lee commanded, closing his eyes and bracing for impact until the reporter finally fired the gun against the walkers head, killing it. Lee pushed it off and gasped for air. "Thanks.." he told Carley.

"WHY'D YOU BRING HIM HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, ASSHOLE?" Larry yelled at Lee, throwing the axe down next to him.

"Dad, calm down." Lee places a hand on her father's shoulder to call off the dogs.

"You're gonna get us all killed!" He added as Lee was helped up by Mark and Carley.

"It's not Lee's fault. It's these dumbasses' fault!" Kenny pointed at Ben and Travis

"What? What did we do?!" Ben panicked.

"We asked you, point blank, 'was he bitten?' And you said he wasn't!" The father claimed.

"He wasn't! Wait, you all don't know?" Travis asked, scanning the confused faces of the motor inn. "It's not the bite that does it. You turn no matter how you die. If you don't destroy the brain, that's just what happens. It's gonna happen to all of us."

"So.. we're all infected? Everyone?" Lee asked, regaining his breath.

"Kind of. A while back when me and Ben were still in our group, there was this girl named Jenny Pitcher. She was never bitten but one day she slipped into the girls bathroom and killed herself. Someone went in the next morning and.. god." A silence took over the group as they settled in this new information. That is, until Carley noticed a pair of strangers approaching the group. She held her gun up and yelled at them.

"Back off!" This caught the attention of the rest of the group, and all eyes were put on the two men with jerry cans in their hands.

"Woah, lady, relax! Me and my brother, we were just wondering if y'all could help us out!" The older one defended, holding his hands up in surrender.

"I said, back off!" Carley repeated, stepping a bit closer. Lilly halted the woman and put a hand on hers.

"Carley, wait a minute. Why would we help you? What do you need help with?" Lilly asked curiously.

"Our base is protected by an electric fence. Generators provide the electricity." The younger, dirtier one explained.

"Our generators run on gas. Look, we own a dairy farm a couple miles down the way, if y'all could lower your guns, we could work out some kind of deal." The older man's name was Andy, and he seemed polite enough. This was an awesome deal.

"How are y'all doing on food? We got plenty at the dairy." Danny, the younger one asked. Lilly looked towards Lee, Mark and Carley and decided if anyone would be going down to check out a place like this, it'd be the most dependable people in the group.

"Mark, Lee, Carley, why don't you three go down and check it out, see if it's legit. If it is, we'll bring down the rest of our group, trade for some gas and have a nice meal."

"And what if it isn't?" Kenny asked, joining in the argument.

"Then we stay in this wretched roach motel even hungrier than we are now until we starve to death." Lilly made it sound like they had no choice.

"Or until we leave for somewhere better." Kenny suggested.

"Yeah, right." Lilly rolled her eyes, a hand on her hip.

"Guys! Let's not argue right now. We have a decision to make." Mark interrupted.

"So, uh.. what are y'all thinking?" Andy asked. Before anyone could answer, Lee wanted to make a choice based on his gut feeling. He felt like he could understand exactly what was best for the group, so he shot out his answer.

Choices:

A: You got a deal

B: No deal

C: Let the group decide, don't speak.

Relationships:

Clementine is still kinda hungry. She thinks the world of you as long as her dad is gone.

Kenny thinks you did the right thing by feeding the kids. He views you as a good friend but still thinks you need to pick a side.

Lilly is glad you fed her dad and honestly really likes how you roll.

Larry is the most confused man here. Why are you being nice to him? He doesn't know.

Katjaa thinks you're really the smartest man here.

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy ever.

Mark views you as his best friend.

Carley has always got your back, you two are also best friends. She doesn't mind that you didn't feed her.

Ben is disappointed you didn't feed him, but overall thankful you saved him.

Travis is pissed at his teacher being gone, but thankful that you saved him.


	26. The St John Dairy

"You got a deal." Lee butted in. Kenny and Lilly were taken aback by his sudden choice when he isn't even leader. "We'll bring some gas to your dairy, in exchange, we expect food for our entire group." Carley smiled, this is what she wanted to see. Mark was on board and it seemed like Lilly and Larry approved of the decision.

"You'll check it out?" Lilly asked the three who she had previously assigned to go. They nodded.

"For the group. We need to check it." Mark replied before he heard Lee's stomach growl fiercely next to him.

"Not only are we in need of food, but we are desperate for food. We gotta take this." Lee added.

"Stay safe, guys. And thank you." Lilly said with a smile, waving the three off.

"Wait! Let us go too!" Travis cut in, running towards the three. "Please? We want to be useful. You saved Mr. Parker, so this is us paying you back!"

"I don't see why not." Carley shrugged.

"You won't regret this." Travis affirmed.

"Well, alright! C'mon, let's go." Andy said, leading the group of five to the woods. Ben, Travis and Mark decided to chat with Andy, but Lee and Carley would rather talk alone.

"It's nice to get away from that motel for a while. This whole Lilly/Kenny thing has been getting everyone on edge. Personally I would love it if you were our leader." Carley admitted, keeping up pace with him.

"You think they'd want me for a leader?" Lee questioned, honestly kind of surprised. It was an idea he had in his mind before but he never spoke up about it. Kenny and Lilly were fierce people, even if they both did like Lee.

"For sure! You're smart, dependable, a leading man. I mean, look at how we came to the decision to come here." Carley pointed out.

"You got a point. But.. I don't know. I'm not sure how Lilly would react to hearing someone else being the leader of a group she's been leading for three months." Lee argued.

"True, plus there is also your past. Does anyone else know?" She asked curiously. Lee winced when he thought of the two he knew for sure who knew.

"Larry knows. Clementine too. I told her back at the drugstore. Thought it didn't do any use lying to the girl about myself." Lee explained.

"You're a good caretaker. There's another reason you should be leader." Carley and Lee shared a smile before Lee heard his name from Mark while he was talking to the St. John's.

"I mean, thank god Lee was there." Mark exaggerated.

"Hey, why don't you tell us a bit more about you, Lee?" Andy asked with a sincere, trusting smile.

"Where ya from?" Danny asked across from his brother.

"I grew up in Macon." He saw no point in lying to these men about much.

"Right here in the heart of Georgia! Same with us." Andy replied, patting Lee's shoulder once he and Carley caught up to them.

"Yeah.. uh, so how good is this farm?" Lee asked, awkwardly laughing as he motioned away from the brother.

"Oh it's one helluva base. Like Danny said, it's protected by an electric fence, plus we still got at least one cow left so food still comes in good supply."

"Honestly, we could really use ya'll for help." Danny mentioned.

"In the summers, I used to help out on a goat farm." Ben told them.

"And I was a tour guide.. Wait, that wouldn't help." Travis shot himself down.

"Sure, those work! Anything helps!" Danny enthused, a smile on his red face. "How many people are ya with, Lee?"

"Uh, nine including the kids." Lee answered.

"You forgot Ben and Travis." Carley stated.

"Really? You mean it?" Travis asked, surprised.

"That makes it eleven." Carley finished with an eye roll.

"Well, anyways, just know that we got enough food for everyone down at that motor inn. A lot of people used to be so good in these parts but now it's a rarity to find anyone as nice as-"

"You think you gonna cut me outta this?!" A random voice cut off Andy, it sounded angry.

"Oh shit, get down!" Andy whispered, leading everyone to a nearby bush and tree. They looked down to the noise to find two men in ski masks with shotguns arguing about food.

"Those look like the people who raided our camp!" Ben pointed out, keeping his voice low.

"Goddamn bandits." Andy said simply, shaking his head. "Just know that me and Danny got your back in case they try anything." The man showed the group a pistol he had in his pocket. Carley took out hers as well.

"FUCK YOU!" One of the men shouted, kicking the other in the stomach before shooting him in the face, killing him instantly. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!" He continued shooting his corpse in rage until he finally ran out of ammo and left. "Asshole.."

"Jesus! What the hell?" Carley gasped as the group stood up again.

"The world out here has gone to shit! C'mon, the barn is this way." Andy and Danny led the group down a trail that, after about ten minutes, finally brought them to the farm. It was beautiful, the huge electric fence really did look safe. The sun was bright in this area, and their house was huge.

"Well, what do ya think?" Andy asked, opening the gate to the inside of the farm.

"This place is a fortress! It's freakin' awesome!" Mark gushed, scanning the area.

"It is very well defended." Lee remarked simply.

"Better than that, Lee! Look at that fence, wide enough to keep out any unwanted attention, and that house could have so much food!" Mark couldn't get enough of this place. To be fair, they were all hungry.

"Well I'm glad you like it!" Andy proudly said.

Suddenly, a woman appeared walking out of the house with a basket in her hand. "I thought I saw y'all with company coming down the drive!" She said to her boys, looking at the five new people.

"Guys, this is our momma!" Andy introduced.

"Hi, I'm Brenda St. John and welcome to the St. John Dairy!" Brenda greeted, a really nice grin on her face. These people were surprisingly nice, even if they did just want gas.

"Hi. My names Lee, this here's Ben, Mark, Carley and Travis. We're here to trade, enough food for our people in exchange for some gasoline." Lee explained, the group waving at her.

"Oh, in that case, how about an appetizer! These are for y'all, baked fresh this morning." She handed the basket to Carley. In it was biscuits, real home baked biscuits!

"Oh my god! Thank you so much." Carley said, a crowd forming around her wanting a bite.

"Unfortunately, I'm not sure how long we'll be able to make food like that. Our cow, Maybelle, has been real sick lately and we don't know what to do." Brenda told them, hanging her head low.

"Your cow is sick? What's she-" Lee was cut off by an excited Mark.

"We have a vet, we could bring her here! Maybe we could bring our whole group over instead of just bringing some food? You know, for the day!" Mark suggested, salivating at the food.

"A vet? Oh my, our prayers have been answered! Well, how about we extend the deal. Y'all go get your veterinarian friend and I'll prepare some dinner. A big feast for all you hungry souls!" She offered, literally everyone in Lee's group thinking it was a good idea.

"Sure, that sounds great! Ben, Travis, why don't you guys head down over with the biscuits to the group. That way they know it's legit. Lead them back and tell em our plan."

"You got it, sir!"

"Uh, it's Lee."

"Right, sorry, Lee." Travis said with a chuckle, taking the basket.

"Maybe you could come with us? I don't want to be unarmed.." Ben suggested, asking Carley.

"Sure. We'll be back soon." Carley told Lee, taking out her glock before leading the teens back to the motor inn.

"If y'all want to, you could help us out with the fence. Danny and I are busy with other stuff and we could really use some help." Andy suggested.

"Sure, just uh, give us a second?" Lee asked.

"Of course! I'll be by the generator." Andy pointed at the electric producer before walking toward it and crossing his arms.

"What's up?" Mark asked Lee, wondering why he stopped him.

Choices:

A: This place is great, let's do whatever we can to help.

B: Let's make sure this place is safe first.

Relationships:

Clementine is happy that she might get more food. She thinks the world of you.

Kenny thinks that was a bit too irrational of a choice, but he knows you're just thinking of the group. You're still great friends.

Lilly supports your choice and thinks you'd make a great second in command, however something is keeping her from making you second in command. You're good friends.

Larry supports your choice but is even more confused. Should he despise you for being an untrustworthy murderer or change his feelings because of how good you're being to the group?

Katjaa is thankful you shut Lilly and her husband up. She loves him but it's getting to her. She thinks you're smart and very sweet.

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy ever.

Mark views you as his best friend.

Carley has always got your back, and now she wants you as the leader. She's your best friend.

Ben just wants to help even if he is a bit scared. He likes you but doesn't know much about you.

Travis is kind of scared by how strong you are. Nonetheless he likes you for saving him and Ben.

Andy St. John likes you, though that could just be for the gas.

Danny seems distant. He definitely doesn't dislike you but he seems a bit anti-social.

Brenda is very sweet, she seems like she really likes you guys already.


	27. sLeepy

What's up?" Mark asked, wondering why Lee stopped him.

"Before we bring our whole group over, I feel like we should search around to see if this place is as safe as they're telling us. Remember, Mark, these are strangers." Lee explained, leaning against a wooden fence.

"Right, that's true.. I mean, the fence is obviously a bit of a safety hazard around the kids, plus I noticed a broken swing over there. If you think this place needs a good search, go ahead. I'll be waiting for you over by the gate." Mark replied, walking over to the gate to talk to Andy.

Lee decided to start his investigation with the fence itself. He noticed that it wasn't well guarded by anything on the inside, which means if someone tripped or Clementine/Duck touched it, they might get hurt, or worse.. He made a mental list starting with that of things to watch out for.

He took a look at the picket fence surrounding the area close to the barn and saw that it was pretty pointy. That was about it, but that's also where the generator was. He made note of that before trying to move on to the barn itself. Before he could open the fence however, Andy stopped him.

"Hey, Lee, what are you doing?"

"Just checking out the dairy. Is it okay if I check the barn?" Lee asked nicely.

"Sorry, but us dairy folk don't like others snooping around over there, you know how it is." Andy simply stated, rising up.

"Uh, what's inside there?" Lee asked.

"Just some in's and out's. Takes a lot to run a dairy. Don't worry about it." Lee shrugged and gave up, going back to searching around. He found lights that lit up the fence that could be potentially dangerous. What if someone or something saw the dairy and tried to attack it?

Lee decided that if he couldn't check the barn, he could at least check the house. He walked up the stairs and onto the porch, knocking on the door. Out came Brenda with a wide smirk. "Hiya, Lee! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You mind if I take a look inside?" Lee tried to get a look inside, but couldn't see much aside from some trophies and a boarded up wall.

"What for?" She asked.

"Just wanted to have a look around. You know how it is meeting new people." Lee covered up. He may have been a bit suspicious.

"I think you're insinuating too much, Lee. Everything is fine here, we got nothing to hide around this place, trust me." The woman reassured, even stepping aside to show him the nice dining room.

"You're right, maybe I'm just.. Paranoid. This whole walker apocalypse has gotten me so on edge." Lee explained, placing his face in his hands.

"Oh I know what you mean, sweetheart. We used to have some enemies of our own. Human or non human, everything is a struggle nowadays." With that, Lee left feeling a bit embarrassed. There's definitely stuff to look out for but this place seemed secure. He left to go check in on Mark, and found the man looking off in the distance.

"Hey, Mark." Lee greeted, tapping his back.

"Huh? Oh, hey Lee. Nice afternoon, ain't it?" He acknowledged, looking off to the trees.

"Ha, you could say that. Honestly, I think I'm going a bit stir crazy now that I'm hungry." Lee said with a wipe of his forehead, the sun glistening over him.

"Sorry about that, man. So, what did you find?"

"Not much. I saw that there's an easy way for the kids to get hurt on the fence, and Andy wouldn't let me in the barn but you know how strangers can be." Lee informed.

"Right. I sure as hell wouldn't let them anywhere near my room back at the motor inn." Mark joked.

"Other than that, the house seems fine and I can't think of anything nefarious that could harm any of us. I think we're okay."

"Good, are you ready to go and check the perimeter of the fence?" Mark asked. Lee had to think of this. Was he really ready to do more hard work on an empty stomach and when he felt weak? Did he really think it was a good idea to have Mark do it either?

Choices:

A: Sure, let's go.

B: I'll go alone.

C: Can you do it?

Relationships:

Clementine thinks the world of you.

You and Kenny are great friends.

You and Lilly are good friends.

Larry is still rather confused but is starting to form

a less negative opinion.

Katjaa thinks you're both smart and very sweet.

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy ever.

Mark views you as his best friend, even if he thinks you're a bit out of it right now.

Carley is your best friend, no contest.

Ben just wants to help, even if he is a bit scared. He likes you but he also doesn't know you very well.

Travis is a bit scared of you out of respect but is still thankful for your help.

Andy St. John likes you but feels like you're a little suspicious compared to the rest of your crew.

Danny seems distant. He definitely doesn't dislike you but he just seems a bit anti-social.

Brenda thinks you're a smart, caring guy even if you are suspicious.


	28. Bandit Attack!

"Mark, I know this might sound weird, but.. You think I could do this alone? I got a bad feeling and I need you to stay sharp and watch me." Lee sounded batshit insane and he knew it, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something was too nice about these people.

"Lee, c'mon.. You're being paranoid. Let me help." Mark replied, looking at the man as if he were, of course, crazy.

"Please, man, I fed you today and I did what you asked for Ben and Travis. Now it's your turn to help me." Lee yelled back. Mark thought for a good ten seconds before sighing.

"Fine. I'll watch for you. If you get hurt out there or god forbid die, though, I'm never going to forgive myself. So be careful." He said with a huff, planting his arms back on the fence as Lee left to talk to Andy.

"Thank you." Lee simply responded, shaking his head as he felt himself grow weaker. He could do this, he had to so he could get his group fed. "Hey, Andy, I can do the fence perimeter now if you want."

"Well sure! That'd be just great, Lee. What you have to do is go across the entire perimeter. Some walkers get stuck on the fence after being fried so you'll have to push them off. And if any of the fence posts are knocked over, turn them back up. Think you can do that?" The southern man asked the professor.

"Yeah, I should be able to." Lee confirmed.

"Say, where's Mark?" Andy asked curiously.

"I can do this alone. Let him rest." Lee covered, heading in the direction of the gate to the perimeter.

"Uh, okay, stay safe." Andy replied, keeping an eye on the dark skinned man as he left the yard.

Lee could feel himself getting weaker by the minute, walking so much was beginning to take its toll on him. "Shit.. Maybe I should have asked for more food.." He muttered with a rub of his stomach. Eventually he came across a walker who's burnt hands were stuck to the fence. He raised his axe and chopped off both hands with relative ease, though lifting the axe was a bit harder than it was earlier today.

"Wish I had one of those biscuits.. Or maybe a good honey glazed ham? Hehe, dinner better be worth it." He knew he sounded manic, but this was a good coping mechanism against hunger. Lee had to take down another walker before heading over to the far south of the fence, where he found a final walker tied around the fence, clinging onto it so the protective wall was pulled to the dirt ground. He decided to jump over the dead thing so he could get better leverage and pull the fence back up.

Upon doing this and before he could do anything, Lee heard a loud "HEY!" Coming from the dairy, it sounded kinda like Mark. He was so shocked and weak that he fell to the floor, narrowly avoiding the electricity of the fence turning on!

"What the fuck? Why would that asshole turn the fence on if he knows I'm out here?!" Lee got up quickly, and was about to march back to the dairy, only to be shot directly in the shoulder by an arrow. He yelped in pain, looking up to find several men and women wearing ski masks and firing arrows at him. He found cover by a tractor and took refuge behind it.

"You asshole! Get the fuck back here and face your punishment for not giving us the food!" A voice yelled out. Lee panted heavily as he held his shoulder and tried to ease the pain. Blood was pooling from the wound and onto the ground.. this was bad. He had to move, had to get back to the dairy and tell everyone what happened, then give the St. John's a piece of his mind.

"We had an agreement! Now you're fucked!" The same guy screeched at the wounded survivor. Lee tried to get the tractor moving by tossing a brick in front of the wheel away, and then starting it, and it actually worked.

"Thank god, if I'm lucky this'll take me right to the gate." Lee signed, crouch walking for cover while being fired at. Eventually, the tractor came to an early stop, causing Lee to reasonably panic. He checked what was up and found one of the dead he pushed down earlier.

"Shit, how the hell did that happen?" He rhetorically asked, pushing the dead body out of the way. The tractor continued moving in the direction of the gate. Lee could taste freedom, until he came to another stop.

"Another one? How many of those things did I push down?!" He yelled out in frustration before trying to pull the walker away. Turns out, this one wasn't dead and tried to get a bite out of Lee. With much more force and a burst of adrenaline, Lee was able to snap the walker in two and throw his carcass out of the way. Of course, this didn't stop the half dead creature from crawling towards him but it did start the tractors movement.

Lee had to keep up with the tractor while avoiding arrows while running away from the top half of a walker. He was already fed up with this place and just wanted everyone to go home, if they were even coming. Eventually, he made it to the gate, making a full break for it whilst the bandits yelled something inconceivable to him.

Upon seeing Andy, his body felt a pang of pain and he collapsed to his knees. Looks like the adrenaline wore off. Andy rushed towards his body and offered him a hand. "Lee, is that an arrow? What the hell happened?"

"It was.. It was a goddamn ambush out there! I got shot by bandits and could have been killed after you turned on that fence!"

"I.. I'm sorry, I thought I saw you give an all clear. I didn't know.." Andy muttered, helping Lee up to his feet just as Danny and Brenda showed up.

"Where's Mark?" Lee asked, looking around for his friend to no avail. "I heard him shout back here."

"Uh.. He went to the bathroom. Should be back soon." Danny replied, getting a skeptical look from Lee. Suddenly, the motor inn group was here.

"Hey, y'all!" Kenny greeted before seeing Lee. "Holy shit.. what the fuck happened to you?"

"He was shot with an arrow, the poor thing.." Brenda answered, grabbing him by the arm.

"Christ, are you gonna be okay?" Lilly asked.

"Who cares? I'll just pull it out and be fine. What matters is that there are bandits out there who could come for the rest of you next!" The man shrieked, trying to make a point that this place is dangerous.

"Who cares? I do, sweetheart! I know just the thing for arrows, so why don't we go on inside and I'll fix you right up." Brenda led Lee away and into the house. At this point, Lee couldn't fight her to stay outside and if he did he would look crazy to his group, so he just followed.

"Bandits? Are you telling me this place is just as dangerous as my camp?" Travis asked in shock. Ben wasn't with him though, and neither was Carley.

"Now hold on, just a second, where's our food?" Larry was the last voice Lee heard as he was dragged into the house, though the one person he really was worried for was Clementine, the eight year old girl he should be protecting.

"How long is this gonna take?" Lee questioned, looking up at the chubby woman carrying him up the stairs.

"Should take an hour at the least. I'm sorry, Lee." Brenda sounded very genuine, almost as if she truly cared, but she barely knew him.

"It's fine.. just get it out." Lee complied as Brenda opened the bedroom door, sitting him down on the bed as blood trickled to the floor.

"I'll be right back with my tools. Don't you worry one bit." Brenda closed the door and headed for the hallway. In the meantime, Lee had to wonder if the St. John's were really telling the truth about Mark if they had held the bandits away from them. Brenda was back in no time with surgical supplies, a needle and IV fluids. "Lee, we'll be needing to go to the bathroom for the messy part."

"Messy part? O-okay.." He was helped up by the woman who brought him to the tile floor bathroom. It smelled horrible, like blood and walkers. It looked okay though, pretty clean all around, but that lingering smell was driving him crazy.

"Sit down on the tub, sweetie and I'll start the procedure." She let him down on the white tub and allowed Lee to relax as she picked up his axe.

"Hey, what are you doing with that? That's mine." Lee said obviously, getting a whole lot more suspicious.

"We don't like doing this, Lee. But we only do it to those who are gonna die anyways. You'll be doing those kids and the rest of that group of yours a favor by giving yourself up, trust me honey." She picked up the syringe and injected Lee, causing him to fall in and out of consciousness.

"You're.. What the fuck is this?" He mumbled, trying to lift himself up as he sunk to the tub's interior.

"It's how the world works now. Give part of yourself, so others can live. I'm truly sorry. My boys told me you were from Georgia, and I'm sure we would be great friends if the world wasn't as screwed up as it is. Goodnight, Lee." She held the axe up, ready to swing into Lee's leg! He had to act, now!

Choices:

A: Kick her leg out.

B: Scream for help.

C: Block the attack with your arm.

D: Let it happen.

Relationships:

Clementine is scared for you, she thinks the world of you but isn't sure if you'll be okay.

Kenny is extremely worried for you and wants to get revenge on those bandits.

Lilly is extremely worried for you and just wants to get dinner and leave.

Larry is kinda worried about the bandits, but just wants to get the food and leave. He is still confused on how to feel about you.

Katjaa is really worried for you, but is currently being shown to Maybelle, the cow, by Andy.

Duck is scared, that injury looked really bad.

Mark is missing, but he views you as his best friend and might have been trying to warn you back there.

Carley is your best friend.

Ben doesn't know you very well but likes you.

Travis is worried about you and is scared of the St. John's.


	29. The Meat Locker

Without another thought, Lee swung his leg against Brenda's ankle, causing her to trip and cut her forearm with the axe. She let out an ear piercing howl that no doubt alerted the others outside. Lee attempted his escape, limping away from the crazed woman, trying to stay awake and balanced while running away from this crazy woman.

"Y-you! Get back here, don't do anything stupid!" The mother screeched, getting back up to chase the man with his own axe, a fierce determination in her step. She was clearly faster right now, and it didn't help that Lee was on the verge of falling into a deep sleep.

Fortunately, Kenny, Lilly, Travis and Larry were inside the door in seconds, with Andy and Danny right behind them, rifles to their heads. "What the fuck is this?! Hey, asshole, where the fuck did you put my family?!"

"R-run.." Lee mumbled before being knocked out by the butt of his own weapon, a firm hit in the back of the head.

Lee awoke four hours later in a cold, uncomfortable area. It looked like it may have been a meat locker. He felt numb, but when he checked his body, everything was in order, even the arrow was removed. The wound was patched up by the sleeve of his jacket.

Upon taking a look around, he found Mark and Larry attempting to break down the door, something they must have been at since getting in. Kenny was pacing back and forth, trying to find a way out with Travis and Lilly was trying to get her dad to calm down. No Clementine, Duck or Katjaa in sight though.

"Open the goddamn door! You can't keep us in here!" The old man yelled, bashing his fist against the metal door. Mark took a break from his forcing of the door to examine his friend who had just woken up.

"Lee! Thank god you're awake. Shit's been getting crazy since you got knocked out." Mark gave a deep sigh, looking down at his hand.

"Mark.. You're alive. I thought they might have gotten to you too." Lee shook his head, regaining his senses.

"Barely, those assholes chopped my fingers off as 'appetizers'. They were planning on eating us." Mark showed off his mangled left hand, only his thumb and ring finger surviving.

"Jesus.. Where's Clementine?" Lee asked, presenting the elephant in the room.

"Those psycho cannibals have her, Lee! Along with my fucking family, and we're stuck in a damn meat locker! We gotta get the fuck outta here!" Kenny ranted, taking Mark's place as the two pounded the door.

"Dad, settle down. Banging the door hasn't gotten us anywhere in two hours." Lilly said with a face palm.

"No, Lilly! We have to leave this place. There's no telling what they'll do to us when the time comes." Larry angrily lamented.

"I actually agree with you. But Larry, we have to find a better option." Lee got up, shakily and without balance. Lilly places her hand on his wrist and helped him restore his balance.

"Carley saved this for you, said you looked like crap. She was right." The leader handed him the food which Lee happily gobbled up, feeling at least a little more energetic.

"Thank you." Lee nodded. Larry ignored our main protagonist and proceeded to bang the door.

"Hey, Lee, man, if you need any help, just tell me what to do and I'll do it." Travis submitted, giving a bright smile.

"Okay, I'm glad you're more comfortable around me, Travis, but now is not the time. Find a weak point where we can leave."

"Right." The teen nodded his head and began searching. Meanwhile, Lee tried to regain his breath while helping to look for a spot of escape as well. Suddenly, the sounds of banging stopped and Larry let out a grunt as he fell to the floor. Everyone's eyes averted to him, still on the ground.

"Dad? Dad, c'mon! DAD!" Lilly got to the ground, grasping her father's face before checking his heartbeat.

"Holy shit. Is he still breathing?" Mark asked, kneeling down next to them.

"No, he's not! I think he's had a heart attack." Lilly pounded her palms against his chest, attempting to give him CPR.

"Shit, is he dead?" Kenny asked all too quickly, his eyes falling between Lee and the man's body.

"He's not dead! Lee, kid, help me!" She replied, Mark was helping by listening for his heart beat.

"Fuck.. If he's dead.." Kenny muttered.

"He's not dead!" Lilly yelled back.

"Lee, you remember that poor bastard back at the motel, how fast he turned?" Kenny asked his friend, who was wide eyed and shocked at the sight.

"No! I-it's not the same as Mr. Parker!" Travis stiffened, stepping away from the scene.

"Yes it is, kid! Not only that but Larry's twice his size! It's him or us." Kenny came to the conclusion that Larry had to die, if he turned then it would mean he would turn and kill everyone else in here, meaning his family would be killed or worse.

"Kenny, back at the drugstore when we all thought Duck was bitten, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe we should do the same now." Lee tried to rationalize, not immediately turning to violence.

"That was different, Duck wasn't bitten and he wasn't dying! Now, c'mon! We know this guy ain't gonna make it. Remember, gotta destroy the brain." Kenny looked around to find a salt lick. That would work.

"Lee, c'mon, we need your help! He'll die otherwise!" Mark begged for Lee since Lilly was distracted enough as it was.

"Lee, you can't stay in the middle again, you gotta have my back this time, otherwise you, me, my family and Clementine are going to fucking die! Do you want that!?" Kenny asked fiercely. Lee knew whatever he picked would have its ramifications. What should he pick?

Choices:

A: Save Larry

B: Kill Larry

Relationships:

Clementine is nowhere to be found. Just know that she thinks the world of you.

Kenny needs you right now. He views you as a loyal companion and great friend, but if you don't side with him that may not be the case.

Lilly needs all the help she can get or else her dad is dead. She thinks you're a good friend however.

Larry needs you right now, but he might also be dead weight. He did like you at least a little in his, presumably, last moments.

Katjaa is nowhere to be found, just know that she thinks you're sweet and smart.

Duck thought you were the coolest guy ever. Don't disappoint him.

Mark needs you, being the good guy he is he'll do anything to save anyone. He views you as his best friend.

Carley is your best friend.

Ben doesn't know you very well but does like you.

Travis respects you a lot and will help you do whatever you choose.

Andy St. John is obviously a sick fuck but he seems to not hate you.

Danny St. John doesn't know you very well but he's just about as sick as his brother.

Brenda really doesn't like you, especially after what you pulled. She spared you due to the fact that "dinner was ruined!" And that "None of y'all deserve my cooking anymore!"


	30. We're Gonna Get Out

Lee approached Lilly and Mark with Travis following behind him. Kenny felt betrayed in that moment, like he was the only one who had a brain left. "He's not breathing at all?"

"No.. No, I don't think so!" Lilly cried out, the tears streaking her cheeks as Lee took over to place his hands over his chest.

"Alright, let me try." Lee said, taking over for Lilly while she checked his pulse.

"Are you stupid? He's gonna turn! You're putting all of us at risk, you son of a bitch!" Kenny hollered, picking up a salt lick and marching towards Larry's body. Mark and Travis stopped him, however, standing in front of the family man and blocking his view of the old man.

"We aren't killing him until we know for sure, Kenny." Mark stated.

"Yeah, dude. I'm with Lee and Mark." Travis nodded, folding his arms.

"You're getting us all fucking killed! You think I wanna do this?" Kenny asked, pushing Mark aside and onto the ground. He picked the salt lick up over his head and got ready to smash Larry in, only for Travis to tackle it out of Kenny's hands, a loud smash denting the floor.

Soon enough, Lee was able to hear a low murmur from Lilly's father. She smiled through the tears and clutched her dad's face, only for him to open his eyes to reveal golden pale ones. The old man snarled and attempted to bite his daughter, however Lee held him down.

"I..I'm sorry Lilly. Kenny, you know what to do." Lee whispered as Kenny took back the salt lick from the ground and hovered it over Larry.

"Wait." Lilly halted, getting closer to Larry. "I love you, Dad.. goodbye." With that, the woman nodded at Kenny and allowed him to smash his head in, causing his growls to stop and his face to splash blood over the others. Lilly was a sobbing mess.

"What a mess.." Mark muttered, shaking his head in disgust. Travis hurled over the corner where Lee woke up.

"It's over, thank god. Now we just gotta get outta here." Lee said. Kenny ignored him and picked up another salt lick, using it to bash the lock of the door. "Great idea, Ken!"

"Shut up. Let me concentrate. Focus on getting Lilly up." Kenny replied harshly, continuously bashing the lock until finally it was crushed open.

"Lilly, you're gonna be okay, right? You have to be strong, it's what Larry would have wanted."

"You know.. my father told me you were a piece of shit. I never believed him, and I still don't. You saved his life after he tried to destroy you in any way he could. You're amazing, Lee." Lilly placed her head over her dad's chest and continued to sob.

Kenny was about to walk out of the door when Lee stopped him. "Where the fuck are you going?" He whispered.

"What do you care?" Kenny didn't even look back as he left the room.

"Kenny! Shit, he's gonna get us killed." Lee got up and was about to head out until he saw Lilly and the state she was in.

"Go, I'll stay with Lilly and the kid. Get Clementine back, Lee." Mark assured, nodding at the man. Lee nodded back before heading out, rain filling the outside world. When Lee exited he found Kenny crouching while staring at the crack between the doors leading to the hallway of the barn. Inside of this room was blood everywhere, bear traps and jars of meat.

"Oh my god.." Lee gasped, putting his hand over his mouth.

"The sick fucks we're gonna do this to us. I ain't letting it happen to my boy!" Kenny stated before leaving.

"Kenny, wait!" Lee called, following Kenny. Before he left he set his eyes on a sickle that looked pretty good considering he didn't have a weapon to call his own now that they took away his axe. He grabbed it and proceeded out the door next to Kenny.

"What's your plan?" Lee asked, realizing that Danny was sitting right in front of the barn with his back turned to the inside.

"That dumb asshole is so caught up in his rant that I'm just gonna take his gun and kill him with it." Kenny answered.

"I guess that works." Lee shrugged.

"It will." Kenny responded, taking a few quiet steps forward as a thunderstorm raged on outside. The pair snuck up behind Danny, and got pretty close, until Andy came out of nowhere and stepped up to his brother.

"Danny, what're you doing outside the barn?" The older bro asked his younger brother.

"Oh shit!" The two whispered suddenly, stepping into a stall where they were hidden.

"Just guarding the place like you said." Danny answered.

"Good. Look, it's almost time. But, we gotta make a choice. We can either save the vet and kill the rest, or keep the kids and the vet and kill the rest." Andy explained.

"You know I prefer a little dessert after dinner, ain't that right, girlie?" Lee peaked out to see Clementine tied up and gagged on a chair while Danny stroked her hair. A rage boiled inside of him that he couldn't fathom and he almost jumped up and sliced the brothers to pieces. Kenny could see this and grabbed his wrist.

"What? What's wrong?" Kenny asked.

"Those motherfuckers have Clementine!" Lee whispered back.

"Hold on, wait until one of them is alone. Then we'll strike." Kenny strategized, calming the guardian down.

"F..Fine." Lee huffed, clenching his teeth and fist as he tried to focus on being quiet.

"See what he's doing now." Kenny suggested. Lee looked out to see Danny setting a bear trap, the same one Mr. Parker was caught in. Andy appeared to have left and now Danny was talking to the cow. Lee looked back to Kenny.

"This sick fucker thinks this is a game! Andy's gone, I think we can strike." Lee muttered to the man.

"Alright, open the door. If you have a good position on him, go for it." Kenny suggested, leaning back on the wall for cover. Lee opened the stall door to find Danny staring back, a rifle in his hands. Out of pure adrenaline and rage, Lee grabbed the rifle just as Danny shot it, just barely missing Lee's ear.

The southern cannibal began reloading until Lee jacked at his chest with the sickle, getting it stuck in Danny's peck. The man let out a gasp of pain before taking the weapon out and dropping it to the floor, kicking Lee down to the ground. Clementine's muffled screams and crying could be heard which just pissed Lee off even more.

Danny cocked the gun and got ready to kill Lee, with no Kenny in sight to save him. Suddenly, Travis came out of nowhere and punched the bastard right in the nose, his gun dropping to the floor and his own leg being caught in the bear trap. Travis helped Lee up and stared down at Danny.

"Are you okay?" The teen asked, a shakiness present in his voice.

"Yeah, thanks Travis. You're a goddamn lifesaver." Lee panted before running to Clementine and setting her free, taking off the duct tape strapped to her little mouth before enveloping her in a hug.

"Lee! It was so horrible.. That lady made you pass out, and those guys were going to kill you and.. And.." Clementine's voice broke as she hugged Lee back tighter than his ex wife ever did.

"Shh.. I know.. try not to think about it, okay? Try to think of something else, something hopeful." Lee muttered, looking into her precious, pure eyes.

"Like what?" She nervously asked.

"Those pretend talks with your mom and dad, don't those make you feel better?"

"Yeah, they do.. We're gonna get out, right?" Clem asked.

"Of course. I have to take care of something first though." Lee stood up, looking down to Danny. The man struggled against the metal teeth of the bear trap, blood pouring out of his leg. There was no release latch, confirming Lee's theory.

Kenny revealed himself out of the stall, a pained expression on his face. "What the fuck was that?" Lee was clearly pissed off.

"I..I'm sorry-" Kenny apologized, tilting his head down. His words were interrupted by the sounds of screaming coming from the house, undoubtedly Katjaa.

"Go, it's okay! I'll take care of this." Lee said. Kenny nodded before rushing out the barn and into the dark, wet dairy. Lee picked up a pitchfork and lined it up with Danny's chest.

"You see, ah, you understand now, don't ya? You can have me!" Danny shouted with a sadistic smirk. "It's how the world works now. Give part of yourself.. So others can live."

"Cannibalism is NOT the answer! Aren't the walkers eating enough of us!?" Lee screamed at him.

"You won't do it, Lee.. you're too fucking nice. Too nice to do anything that requires real balls, heh, fucking coward." Lee had to make a choice, spare this sick individual or kill him and end this.

Choices:

A: Spare Danny

B: Kill Danny

Relationships:

Clementine depends on you and solely you. You are her protector and she thinks the world of you.

Kenny is regretful of not helping you, but is pretty pissed at you. He doesn't think you're very loyal anymore.

Lilly really likes you, she thinks you're smart, kind and brave.

Mark is your best friend, he respects how you treat others and loves how selfless you are.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet and smart.

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy ever. Him and his mom need help, your help.

Travis respects you a whole lot and is happy you chose to try to save Larry.

Ben likes you but doesn't know you very well.

Carley is one of your best friends, she's worried about you.

Andy St. John was going to rape Clementine and kill your group. I'm sure you already hate him.

Danny St. John is scared of you. He may put up a tough act, but he doesn't wanna die.

Brenda really doesn't like you, especially after what you pulled.


	31. What I've Become

((Just wanted to say that this has been a great episode! We got a bunch more followers and this time we had another tie! Luckily it was just broken. Anyways, hope you enjoy!))

Lee couldn't take it anymore. From what the man said he'd do to Clem, to the way he taunted him, to the way he cannibalized others and was all around a horrible individual. Still, he couldn't do it and tossed the pitchfork aside.

"No! That's not how the world works now! You won't make me kill you!" Lee yelled, striking fear into the cannibal like he had never felt before. Clementine was relieved he spared him.

"Hey, Clem, I need you to stay with-"

"Stay with us. We'll protect you." Lilly said from out of nowhere, picking up Danny's rifle. Next to her was Mark, who held a cattle prodder in his good hand.

Lee nodded. "Okay.. Stay safe, Lee." Clem muttered quietly as he headed out the barn door to help Kenny, Katjaa and Duck. Larry had already died and he wasn't planning on having anyone else die, especially not Kenny's family. That's when he heard another scream of denial from Kat.

While sneaking out, a noise in the bushes caught his attention: A walker. Luckily, the generator was still on, but it didn't look like that was what took it out. Instead, it was taken out by none other than Carley and Ben. "Lee? Is that you?" She asked, squinting to make out his face.

"Carley, Ben! You guys are a sight for sore eyes. But you need to get out of here, it's not safe." Lee stressed with a shake of his head.

"Why?" Carley asked.

"Because Larry's dead. They chopped off Mark's fingers and tried to feed them to us, they almost dismembered my leg, too." Lee cringed at the memory.

"I told you they were crazy!" Ben said to the reporter.

"Shit.. Everyone else okay?" Carley asked, shocked.

"Travis, Lilly, Clem and Mark are still in the barn, they're okay. Katjaa and Duck are still in the house with the family though, and I don't know where the fuck Kenny is." He explained, covering just about everyone.

"Well, we'll stay at a safe distance, but if you need help, I'll cover you." Carley assured him with a reveal of her pistol.

"Got it. Thanks, Car." The two nodded at each other before Lee made his slow and careful way toward the large house at the center of the dairy. The sounds of Andy and his momma's voice echoed to the outside.

"Something ain't right. I'm gonna take the boy and head 'round back." Andy stated, loud enough for Lee to hear.

"No please, don't take my boy!" Katjaa cried out.

"Let go, woman!" Andy shouted back before disappearing.

"Settle down, I don't wanna hurt y'all!" Then, only the rain and thunder filled the ears of the one Lee Everett as he approached the door. Suddenly, the silhouette of Brenda appeared on the screen.

"Andy, Danny is that you? What's going on out there?" The ginger mother asked.

"Brenda, let's be reasonable about this, let Katjaa and the boy go." Lee decided that lying would get him nowhere, however this made Brenda absolutely terrified. She backed away from the door. The man opened the house's main entrance and went inside, finding Brenda with a scared Katjaa in her arms. The veterinarian had a gun to her head.

"Stand back! I don't wanna shoot but I'll do what I have to!" Brenda shrieked, the gun shaking violently in her hand.

"Brenda, what happened? Your family was obviously smart, it didn't have to come to this!" Lee reasoned, stepping forward just a bit. With each step the floorboards creaked and sent the woman on edge.

"Don't do anything stupid!" She shouted, planting her finger right against the trigger. Out of the corner of his eye, Lee noticed Kenny with his axe, right behind the staircase.

"Just let us go." Lee pleaded, holding his hands up in surrender. Suddenly, as Brenda stepped back with the blonde working wife in her arms, Kenny smashed the red fire axe against Brenda's skull, allowing her to drop his wife and the gun. Katjaa let out no noise as she crawled away from her husband and was helped up by Lee. She had officially seen it all.

"Baby, are you okay?!" Kenny rushed to his wife and pulled her into a hug that she barely reciprocated.

"I think so.. Where's Duck?" She asked slowly, getting up from the floor. Suddenly, a gunshot was heard. "Oh my god, Kenny, go!" She screeched. Lee and Kenny sprinted to the outside. What they saw, however, was Andy clutching his ear as Duck rushed towards his father. It appeared that he had been shot by none other than Carley. Lee took this opportunity to grab his rifle, however Andy wasn't gonna give up yet.

The two men tried wrestling for it, until Lee managed to hit Andy's lip with the firearm. The cannibal let out a groan before pulling Lee down with him to the floor, rolling down a short hill that led to the picket fence from earlier, causing them to smash through it. Andy got up dizzily before smacking Lee with his knee cap. He crashed to the ground on his back.

Andy dragged Lee across the mud, getting closer to the fence. "You people don't understand, and why? These monsters do it and no one seems to care! Christ, all we wanted was some goddamn gasoline."

"You're.. sick!" Lee spat back, punching Andy's hands to set himself free.

Andy didn't reply as he forced Lee up, trying to shove his face into the electric fence. Lee struggled for a couple of seconds before another gunshot was heard, this time for sure a rifle. It was Lilly who shot the attacker right in the shoulder, causing him to drop to the ground. Lee sat on his chest and began punching him, one blow for his right cheek, then his left. This pattern continued until Lee realized that he had beaten the man to hell. His face was bruised and bloody, crimson liquid spewing from his ear and cheeks. He looked broken, defeated. Lee got up begrudgingly and looked back to see his group staring at him, some distant and some scared, like Clementine.

"A-as soon as Dan and momma get out here.. you're-you're all fucked! Hehe.." Andy chuckled, getting up from the floor. Lee stopped and gripped his fists, looking back over his shoulder.

"They aren't coming." He said, actually kinda sorry for the man. The look on Andy's face was one of shock and sadness.

"What did you do? What the fuck did you do?!" Lee didn't know how to feel. Sick? Pity? He didn't wanna do this anymore so he began walking toward the group. He noticed Katjaa was just joining the group with a whole bag full of stuff.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Lee!" Andy yelled, pointing his finger at the victor before collapsing to the ground, tears disguised themselves as raindrops over his face. "Get back and here and finish this, Lee!"

Lee stopped in his tracks. Should he just kill this pathetic, sick mess or spare his life, keeping him from becoming a murderer. Or at least, a murderer in this world.

Choices:

A: Spare Andy

B: Kill Andy

Relationships:

Clementine views you as her third favorite person, next to her parents.

Kenny is conflicted. He sure as hell doesn't trust you but you did save his wife.

Lilly really likes you, she's unsure of how to feel with Danny but knows you did the right thing.

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet and smart. She is thankful for your rescue.

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy ever.

Mark is glad you spared Danny, even if he did chop his fingers off. You two are close friends.

Carley is your best friend who still has your back.

Travis respects you a whole lot, especially because of your pacifist nature.

Ben barely knows you but does like you.

Andy St. John hates you and your group.


	32. A Democracy

Lee shook his head. No more killing, that was behind him. He turned back to his group and walked towards them, ignoring Andy even as he cried in despair. "You'll regret this, Lee! You should have finished me! I.. I have nothing!"

"They're getting in!" Clementine pointed at the fence, which was currently being torn down by several walkers, all must have been attracted by the screams of poor Andy.

"Let's go. He isn't making it out of that. We're okay." Lee told the group, walking out of the dairy. The rest of the group followed, Clementine close behind him. It was over, the St. John's were dead.

A couple of minutes later, the rain stopped and the group was left in the forest. Luckily, Lilly was leading the group back to the motor inn so they had no problems with directions. "Lee?" Clementine asked from behind him.

"Yeah, what is it?" Lee replied, kneeling down to her level while the rest of the group took a break.

"Are those bad people dead?"

"I didn't kill them. I don't know, Clementine."

"They were bad but nobody deserves to die."

"That's right, sweet pea. Now c'mon, stay close." Lee said with a smile, the group continuing to walk after the short breather.

"Oh, Lee, before I forget," Katjaa started, taking something from the big duffel she had gotten from the dairy. It was the axe, with Brenda's blood smeared on the sharp edge.

"Kat, how did you-"

"While the others were distracted, I took the time to get it back. That, and some veggies from the kitchen. Wish we could have gotten that cow though." Katjaa opened the duffel to reveal several carrots, peas, potatoes and biscuits. Maybe a months worth.

"Goddamn. You should be proud of yourself!" Lee chuckled, causing the woman to smile.

"That's sweet, Lee. I just didn't want to go there only to gain bad experiences. I watched my husband murder a woman in front of me and honestly? That scares me." She whispered, looking back to Kenny who was currently talking to his son while walking.

"I feel you. The man needs to cool it." Lee responded.

"Well, thanks for the talk. I've gotta talk to Ducky, make sure he's okay." Kat sped up and joined her family, looking down at her son.

Carley touched Lee's shoulder with her finger to get his attention. "Hey, Lee. How are you?"

"Not gonna lie, Carley, I feel sick. Clementine was almost hurt today, and a couple of my friends were hurt. I watched Larry die today." Lee solemnly answered.

"Yeah, I can imagine how that feels.. were they really gonna kill you guys for food?" She asked slowly.

"Yeah, and I was almost the main course." Lee joked, giving a sarcastic laugh.

"But?"

"I got lucky. This fucking world, Carley, it needs something to just save us all and end these walkers." He answered.

"You can say that again." She agreed.

"Hey, Lee, you got a second?" Kenny asked, stopping at a tree to allow Lee to catch up to him.

"I'll let you go. Talk to me later." Carley smirked, giving him a playful pat on the shoulder. Lee smiled genuinely at her before approaching Kenny.

"There ain't no polite way to say this.. There's gonna be fallout." Kenny started.

"For what?" Lee asked.

"For killing Lilly's dad. She's gonna snap." He stated it like it was a fact.

"You don't know that." Lee defended.

"Neither do you, Lee. Look, we don't see eye to eye a lot, but you're clearly a good man. You've earned a trip in that RV when I get it runnin'. At least for Clementine's sake. When that woman snaps, I ain't bringing her with me." Kenny explained, walking away shortly afterward. Determined that his friend was fine, Lee approached Lilly just as she looked back to him.

"Hey, Lilly. You okay?" He questioned. She was silent for a few seconds, shaking her head.

"Thank you. For allowing me to say goodbye." She replied, looking at the ground.

"Of course." Lee said with a nod.

"I almost killed the group, but dammit Lee, wouldn't you? It's like that bastard doesn't get it. If it were his family, he would have argued the same thing." Lilly argued.

"You're not wrong, but we need to stop arguing like this. It's tearing the group apart." Lilly cracked a smile at his words. "What?" He asked, puzzled.

"You're right. This whole debate, Kenny vs. Lilly is fucking stupid. I have a solution." She halted the man, giving him Danny's rifle.

"Uh, thanks I-"

"I want you to be our leader. You're smart, brave, people obviously like you. You'd never betray the group with Clementine by your side." Lee was stunned. The question in his mind was should he really take it? Was he really going to fit the role of leader?

"Lilly, I don't know.." Lee muttered, hesitant as all hell.

"Everyone, I have a question for you." The group stopped and stared at Lilly.

"What's up?" Mark asked the current leader.

"Lee has always been very democratic, we know this. What I want to know is this: How many of you want him as leader? No voices, give a show of hands."

"Come on, Lilly.." Lee spoke up.

"No, I'm serious. Earlier today you said this group is a democracy. Well, you're right. We're voting on what we want." With that, Lilly raised her hand, stepping back from the man. The rest of the group was puzzled, but within seconds Carley, Clementine, Mark, Ben and Travis held their hands up with her.

"Why Lee?" Kenny asked harshly.

"Because he can do it. There's not as much turmoil between him and anyone else here." Lilly stated.

"I'm not doing this." The southerner growled.

"So it's a no?" Lilly replied quizzingly.

"Yeah. Count me out." Kenny folded his arms, looking away from his past friend. Lee was a bit frustrated but just rolled his eyes. Katjaa and even Duck held their hands up in agreement. "Kat, what the hell?"

"She's right, Kenny. I don't doubt you, but Lee is good for this group." Kat defended her choice.

"Whatever.." he mumbled, gripping his fist hard.

"So, Lee, do you accept this position?" Lilly asked, placing a hand on her hip.

Choices:

A: Yes, I'd love to lead this group.

B: No thanks.

C: Maybe Kenny should lead the group instead?

Relationships: ((A/N added a system suggested by user 404 where there's a number from 0-10 next to the description showcasing your relationship with that character in a more direct way.))

Clementine thinks the world of you. She's very happy you spared the St. John's, and has learned that killing is always bad, no matter what. 10/10

Kenny is quite pissed at you. He feels betrayed you haven't been siding with you lately. Alas, he does realize you're a good hearted man. 5/10

Lilly is really good friends with you, so much so that she thinks you should be the leader. 9/10

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet and smart. 9/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy ever. 8/10

Carley is your best friend who was first to suggest you leading the group. She's had your back and is happy you spared the St. John's. 10/10

Mark views you as his best friend. He's glad you kept up the pacifist streak. 10/10

Andy St. John will never be the same. 0/10


	33. The Station Wagon

Lee decided that if anyone would be able to lead this group, it would be him. He was indeed close to almost everyone here, and he felt that if everyone was okay with it, there should be no problem. Well, everyone but Kenny.

"Sure. I'd love to." He answered with a smile. The rest of the group looked around at each other, overall hopeful for the future. "C'mon, let's head back home."

The group traversed the forest, that is until a soft ticking sound could be heard in the distance. Lights also covered a fair bit of darkness nearby and no one could tell what was up ahead. "Dad, what's that noise?" Duck asked his father, sticking behind him.

"Sounds like a car. Kat, Duck, stay close." Kenny warned, being given the rifle by Lee. "Why the hell are you giving me this?"

"Because you're capable. Follow me, we're gonna check it out. Everyone else, especially you, Clementine, stays hidden." Lee replies, nodding as the rest of the group hid behind trees and bushes. The Florida man and teacher began to sneak towards the noise until they finally found the source: a station wagon.

Abandoned but still on.

"Anybody there?" Lee called quietly, trying not to attract any dead attention. When no one replied, the two stepped up to the vehicle. Kenny checked the back while Lee checked the front. "Empty, no more gas." He said, disappointed. The keys were still in the ignition though.

"Oh fuck. Baby, you gotta see this!" Kenny called, waving over the rest of the group.

"Yeah, everyone can come out. It seems safe." Lee agreed, raising his axe in case he was wrong. The rest of the group walked towards Kenny and found what he was so excited about.

"It's a shitload of food and supplies back here!" Kenny stated, looking through the window. "Could really use that stuff." He mused, looking at his new leader.

"We can't take this stuff! We're not bandits." Travis commented.

"He's right. We don't know if these people are dead." Ben agreed, getting an ice cold stare from the dad.

"This stuff isn't ours." Clementine muttered, tweedling her thumbs.

"But.. who's it?" Duck asked his parents. Katjaa didn't know what to say.

"It looks abandoned, don't worry." Kenny said quickly.

"And if it isn't, then we're just a bunch of monsters who came out of the woods and ruined these people's lives. We should ask Lee." Lilly looked up to Lee who looked to be thinking hard on this one.

"Are you fucking serious? This is a stroke of luck! We need this stuff. Last time I checked, we're desperate for food." Kenny argued.

"Calm down, Kenny. Lee's the leader now, you gotta deal with that." Mark added, stepping up to the man.

"Alright, fine. Lee, if you're smart and care about the wellbeing of this group, you'll take this stuff. It ain't no ones." Kenny responded.

"And if it is?" Lilly questioned.

"So fucking what? Last I remember you said something about focusing on our group, that's what I'm doing now."

"Can it, you two!" Carley stepped between them. They were like dogs in a kennel.

"Lee, what's it gonna be?" Lilly asked impatiently.

Choices:

A: We have enough food, we aren't taking this.

B: Let's take some stuff, not all.

C: We have to take this stuff.

D: Let's take the entire wagon.

E: Let's vote on it.

Relationships:

Clementine thinks the world of you and now you're an even bigger guidance to her as leader. 10/10

Kenny is quite pissed at you. He doesn't like that you've stepped up to being a leader. 4/10

Lilly is really good friends with you and is happy you're taking her responsibility as leader away. 9/10

Katjaa believes you are perfect for leading this group. 9/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest leader ever. 8/10

Carley is your best friend, she'll always have your back and is happy you've stepped up to position as leader. 10/10

Mark views you as his best friend. He's glad you've finally become the leader this group needs. 10/10

Ben doesn't know you very well but does like you. 7/10

Travis respects you a lot and is glad you're the leader instead of Lilly. She scares him. 8/10


	34. Wyatt Interlude and The Camp

Lee opened up the trunk of the station wagon, the inviting smell of a new car enveloping the group. "Let's even the odds. We'll take some stuff from the car, not all."

"That's fair. I'll take that." Kenny agreed, picking up a box of food.

"I don't like this. Not one bit." Mark commented, taking one jug of water that was about two feet tall.

"We'll survive this way, it's good for both parties." Lee defended, handing one last item to Ben. He looked in the trunk one last time and saw a red hoodie, looking like it could fit Clem. "Hey, Clementine, there's a hoodie in here. You want it?"

"No, I'm okay.." Clementine mumbled, folding her arms.

"I understand, sweet pea. This is all we're taking." On that note, Lee slammed the trunk shut before joining the rest of his group.

"We should get moving. If we stick around and walkers show up, we could lead them back to the motor inn." Lilly suggested.

"Or the people who owned the car.." Ben muttered, getting a light punch from Travis.

"You're right. Everyone, stay close." Lee commanded, leading the group down the path back home. It didn't take long for something else to catch the group's attention: a fire.

"Looks like we're not alone out here." Carley said, taking her glock out. Everyone else readied their weapons.

"We don't want any trouble. Maybe we can strike a deal with whoever's there?" Mark suggested, the smoke rising slowly from the camp across from the trailer.

"Sounds like a plan. Lilly, lead the rest of the group back to the motor inn. Carley, Mark you're with me." Lee instructed.

"What about me? I wanna stay with you." Clementine chirped, stepping over to her guardian. Lee gave her a smile and nodded.

"On second thought, you guys can stay and wait for us. Who knows when we'll need back up." This got a smile from the little girl, so Lee decided that this was for the best.

"Let's move." Carley said, the three crouch walking toward the campfire. Upon reaching it, they found a tent with tables of stuff all around the main camp.

"They might be sleeping. We should just go."

"Hello? Are you there? We're friendly, we just want to know if you're okay!" Lee called out, low enough so no walkers could hear. After hearing no reply, he got up and approached the tent. "Carley, cover me. Mark, stay back." Carley accepted easily.

"Lee, this is fucking crazy!" Mark scolded.

"I just wanna know if they're okay. Please, understand." Lee pleased, getting closer to the tent.

"Fine. If you get shot, that's on you." Mark sighed with a shake of his head. Finally, Lee reached the tent and slowly yanked the home open, revealing a woman with a hole in her forehead and gun in her hand.

"Holy shit!" Carley whispered shockingly, her eyes opening wide at the sight.

"What the hell? It's a woman, she's.. She killed herself." Lee announced, covering his mouth.

"Jesus.. There isn't anything worth taking here anyways. All just empty cans and.. huh, what's this?" Mark said in the background. Lee didn't know what he was talking about, but managed to find something bulging next to a picture of the woman with what looked to be her daughter. He uncovered the bulge to find Clementine's hat of all things.

"Clem's hat!?" Lee gasped out, a small smudge of dirt lied across the D.

"What? That's impossible, I've never seen this woman in my life!" Carley felt creeped out already and this woman wasn't even a threat. The pair came out of the tent and showed Mark what had shocked them.

"No way.. That's just creepy as all hell." Mark muttered.

"No shit. C'mon, let's head back." Lee replied, walking the two back to the group.

"Did you find anything?" Carley asked Mark.

"Yeah, a video camera. Needs batteries though." Mark responded.

"Really? I have some, let me help with that." Carley took the device off his hands.

"You sure you can handle those?" Lee teased, finally reuniting with Clementine.

"You're never gonna let me live that down, are you?" Carley humored, switching the batteries back over.

"Hey, Clementine, look what I found." Lee showed the young girl her long lost hat, getting a wide smile from her.

"My hat, you found it! I knew you'd find it, you said you would!" Clem cheered.

"Of course. But uh, did you happen to give your hat to anyone?" Lee asked, knowing that she probably didn't.

"No, why?" She asked slowly.

"It's uh.. It's nothing." Lee shrugged it off, it probably got stolen or maybe it fell off her head.

"Thanks, Lee, you're the best." Clementine put on her hat before going back to Duck and Katjaa.

"Y'all find anything?" Kenny questioned.

"Yeah, a video camera. No survivors though." Lee answered.

"Damn. I tell ya, this area is getting more dangerous by the day." Kenny added.

"I feel you." Lee agreed. Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Hey, Lee.. You're gonna want to see this." Mark called over, Lee and Carley joining behind Mark to see that the video camera actually had videos in it, three to be exact.

The first video was a recording of the motor inn, everyone hard at work setting up the wall. Heavy breathing could be heard through the poor quality. Suddenly, the camera flipped and the person recording began screaming. "Jake, Bart, Linda and all you sick fuckers from the save lots! They call ya'll bandits but you're fucking rapist monst-" then it cuts to black as the bandits that shot Lee approached.

The next video takes place at the same location, and looked as if it may have been recorded before the first. The camera zoomed in on Clementine as Lee approached her. This must have been recorded this morning. "Oh, darling baby look at you, look at you.. You need a momma sweetheart, get you away from these men.." she zoomed in to Lee talking to Clementine about her hat.

"The dead don't kill their own, it's the living you gotta be afraid of. Don't worry, bandits got their eyes on that dairy, they don't need you yet. As long as they keep gettin' food from them, you'll be safe. I promise." She whispered ominously, turning the camera back to her face.

The third video was in a new location, the camp that Lee and the others were just at. The camera was zoomed into the fire, two corpses lying in the logs. Those weren't that before, though, they must have burned to ash. "I'm sorry.. It's too late. Danielle, I'm sorry. Please come back… If you don't, I'll just have to find you in the afterlife, baby girl. Please.." The recording cut to black, the batteries must have finally given out.

Forty-one days into the apocalypse.

Two men are driving hastily through a foggy night, a pair of headlights following them just about as fast. "God this is so fucked!" The driver cursed, attempting to accelerate faster.

"Why the hell did you have to shoot that guy, Eddie!?" The blonde man in the passenger seat questioned.

"I didn't fucking mean to, Wyatt! Is that guy still on us?" Eddie asked, focusing on the road.

"Yeah, step on it!" Wyatt declared after a quick check, a bullet soaring through the back window.

"Here, shoot." Eddie gave Wyatt a pistol from the dash, the latter taking it and beginning to shoot out the window until the other guy's right headlight bursted out, causing the driver to drift off into the woods.

"Wyatt, did you get him? Wyatt? Wyatt, talk words at me, man!" Eddie demanded, scared shitless.

"I-I shot his headlight, yeah." Wyatt stammered.

"He's not chasing us is he?" The driver asked unconfidently.

"He drove off the road, so I don't know. Could be?" The freckle faced passenger guessed.

"Shit. Here, I'll turn off here." Eddie drove off into the woods, turning off the headlights. Wyatt gave him a look of suspicion. "Dude, don't look at me like that. No lights means no.. uh, well, they can't see us!"

Choices:

A: Yeah, I guess you're right.

B: Turn the light back on, man!

Relationships (Lee):

Clementine is happy you found her hat but a bit upset you stole from the station wagon. Overall, she still looks up to you. 10/10

Kenny is okay with your idea, though he'd rather have much more food than that. Still, he appreciates it. 5/10

Lilly doesn't agree with what you did but you're still great friends. 9/10

Katjaa believes you are sweet and smart. 9/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest leader ever. He's honestly just happy to have more food. 9/10

Carley is your best friend and supports your decision. 10/10

Mark views you as his best friend but definitely doesn't agree with stealing. 9/10

Ben doesn't like that you stole from the wagon, even if no one was there and it was only a little. 6/10

Travis doesn't like what you did but does respect you. 8/10

Relationships (Wyatt):

Eddie seems to be your best friend. 9/10

That guy behind you definitely wants you dead. 0/10


	35. A Shitty Night

Wyatt somewhat agreed with that, even if it was dangerous. "I guess that makes sense."

"Yeah, it does!" Eddie yelled back.

"God.. You are covered in that guy's blood." Wyatt commented after seconds of dark driving.

"Shut up, man.. I think some of it's in my mouth." The stoned driver said sorrowfully.

"Sorry." Wyatt simply replied, looking out the cracked window.

"Roads fine, man. No lights and we're golden." Eddie remarked confidently.

"Sure, man, whatever you say. I gotta ask, did you mean to kill that dude?"

"What? No, of course not! I thought he was one of those things. 'Guys taking a shit over here' that's all they had to say." Eddie answered.

"I got it. Maybe we should hurry up outta here in case that guy is still on us?" His friend questioned.

"Whatever, can you see if there's any more sticky in the glove box?" Wyatt instinctively rolled his eyes, opening the glove compartment. "Did you find any?" Eddie asked, speeding the car up like Wyatt wanted.

"I don't see anything.. What I do see is that ammo that you 'lost' last week." Wyatt teased, picking up the bullets to load the gun.

"Oh my god, really? But is there any weed?" Eddie joked, watching disappointingly as Wyatt began reloading the gun, already giving up on the quest for marijuana.

"There was this one time I was going with this girl, right, Abigail —you remember her— and she told me that, when she was five I think, that her dad took her to this circus sideshow. They walked around for a little bit, saw the chick with two heads, saw the dude with lobster hands, some kind of monkey human with a dick for a face, I dunno. She also said there was a little girl the size of an apple, but I called bullshit on that one." Eddie started, trying to focus on anything but their situation. Wyatt was not amused.

"The point is, she saw this one dude, standing there, buck naked and singing this weird-" Eddie paused, examining Wyatts annoyed expression. "Are you even listening to me?" No response. "The guy peed on her dad."

Wyatt rolled his eyes, placing the pistol back on the dash. Suddenly, in the road something was hit, blood spattered the windshield and something flew off in the other direction. The car stopped and the two sat there, gasping for air.

"Holy shit.. What the fuck was that? Was that a guy? Wyatt, was that a guy or not?" Eddie asked slowly.

"I don't know! Maybe?" Wyatt replied angrily. Eddie replied by punching the steering wheel.

"This night is so fucked man!" Eddie vented out, clutching the steering wheel.

"Could've been a muncher, you never know! Besides, what about that guy following us? If we stop to look for some dude then we're found for sure." Wyatt replied.

"Shit.. okay, what the hell do you think we should do?!" Eddie asked impatiently.

Choices:

A: We should get out of here while we still can.

B: I'll go look for that guy.

C: You go look for that guy.

D: Let's both go look for that guy.

Relationships (Wyatt):

Eddie is your best friend, and appreciates that you agreed with him. 10/10

That guy in the truck is still looking for you. 0/10


	36. A New Hope

Wyatt calmed himself and looked around the cars. He definitely didn't want to leave the guy (if he was a guy) and he knew Eddie would argue with him if he decided against saving him. "We should both go, safety in numbers."

"Yeah.. Yeah, I like that plan.." Eddie agreed, turning the car off. "What if the guy in the truck comes back?"

"We high tail it the fuck outta here." Wyatt decided, opening his door slowly. The air was thick and cold, signifying that autumn was here.

"To smoke another day?" Eddie left the car as well, coming around to hold his fist out for a Wyatt to bump. He of course did.

"Sure, to smoke another day." Wyatt agreed, punching the other man's fist.

"Fuck yeah. Let's go save this guy's life." Eddie sighed, taking out a pocket knife while Wyatt held a revolver. The two walked, slowly and quietly. Not a single word was exchanged in case walkers were around or the stranger came around and was on foot looking for them.

There were a few dead one's in the dirt path they were on, but they were easy to take out just by shoving and stomping out. No gunfire needed. It took around four minutes before they finally found a cop, unconscious on the ground. His skin was dark, his clothes stained with blood, his hair white. He looked awful.

"Aw shit.. Eddie, this is our guy!" Wyatt called, signaling for his friend to come over.

"Dude.. Two guys in one night. That's sick, I'm not living with that shit. C'mon, let's bring him to the car." Eddie commanded, slinking the keys out of his pocket. Wyatt picked the downed man up and began dragging him to the car. They made it about three minutes before a flashlight caught them off guard.

"Hey! Don't move!" A raspy voice ordered, a brown skinned man carrying a flashlight stood next to a white, black haired man with a shotgun.

"Oh shit. He found us!" Eddie shrieked, his voice breaking from terror. He froze with the body still in Wyatt's arms.

"Who's he? It's more like we." The white man questioned. Both men were wearing orange jumpsuits.

"And we don't even know who you people are. What are you doing out here?" The man carrying the flashlight asked.

"Y-you're not the guys from the truck?" Wyatt asked, his eyes wide from confusion and horror.

"We don't have a truck, Einstein, we got a shitty BMW. Name's Justin by the way." Justin introduced, lowering his gun.

"I'm Eddie, this is Wyatt."

"Dude, what the hell?" Wyatt stammered, still on edge.

"What? They seem friendly." Eddie shrugged.

"I'm Danny. You guys need help with that guy? We got enough room on our ride, we can take you back to our camp. We live on a farm with this guy named Hershel, a doctor." Danny offered, approaching the two.

"That's perfect. Hurry, we don't have much time." Eddie breathed a sigh of relief, finally a break.

"Woah, woah, how can we trust you?" Wyatt demanded. Danny closed his eyes and sighed before replying.

"I let my friend Vince die to save my life. It's time I pay someone that same respect." Danny explained, helping the cop up along with Wyatt.

"Go with them. I'll follow in my ride." Eddie told Wyatt.

"Alright. I'll see you later." Wyatt said with a nod.

"Of course you will, you can't get rid of me." Eddie chuckled, leaving his best friend behind. It seemed like the truck driving stranger was gone.

"Let's hop to it, I'm not missing dinner because you hit a skunk or something." Justin joked, hopping in the passenger seat.

"Shut up, man." Danny laughed, helping the cop into the back seat. Wyatt and Eddie may have finally caught a break from such a shitty night. Maybe, it can be a permanent situation. Maybe they're finally safe.

But we all know that never lasts. Everything has its price. The cop didn't survive the night, however Eddie and Wyatt did, and with a new home.

((And that's it for episode 2! I know it was short, but depending on your choices, it could have been the same length as the original. Still, I think this episode was a great ride and I have a lot more planned for episode three!

Speaking of choices, here are all the alternate choices and their consequences that you guys missed!

Chapter 20: You guys told Mark that Larry is just looking out for his daughter. If you had told him that Larry is an old, racist asshole, he would have told Larry and your relationship with Larry would go from a 4 to about a 2. If you had told him that everyone is hungry, Larry's opinion of you would go up similarly to how it does already. If you had said nothing, your relationship with Larry wouldn't change.

Chapter 21: You guys saved David, Ben's teacher. If you had left him, then Travis would try to take Mark's gun, leading to him getting shot in the stomach. You'd take Travis and Ben with you, leaving Dave to "die". As a result, if you took Mark with you during the bandit scene, he would die instead and Mr. Parker would be dinner, because the St. John's "save" him before walkers can get to him.

Chapter 22: You guys chose to side with no one, opting for democracy. If you had sided with Kenny, your relationship with Lilly would go down but Kenny would go up from a 7 to an 8. If you agreed with Lilly, Kenny would go down and Lilly would go up. If you had recommended yourself as leader, both would look down at you, however obviously you're leader now soooo.

Chapter 23: This one's complicated. Basically, whoever you feed goes up and whoever you don't goes down. The only exception to this rule is Lilly, Kenny, Katjaa Larry, Carley, Doug and Travis who don't care, or don't care as long as you feed someone they care about.

Chapter 24: You guys gave the axe to Larry, which put your relationship with him up. If you had chosen Mark, your relationship with Larry would naturally go down, while your relationship with Mark would go up. This would affect nothing in the grand story though.

Chapter 25: You guys decided to strike a deal with the St. John's. If you had said no, Lee would stay and both Mark and whoever goes with him (Travis or Ben depending on if Travis lives) would be served to the group. If you chose to let the group decide, they'd strike a deal anyways. Lee and the rest of the group would go later.

Chapter 26: You guys were more cautious at the dairy, which lowered your relationship with the St. John's. If you had been more accepting, you would not have had the choice to decide if Mark comes with you at the wall, meaning he'd be shot and cannibalized like in canon.

Chapter 27: You guys decided to go alone, saving Mark but hurting yourself. If you had gone with Mark, the events would play out as canon did. If you had asked Mark to go alone, he would have been killed like in canon.

Chapter 28: You guys did literally the only smart choice, kicking Brenda. If you had blocked the attack, she would have chopped off your arm and then killed Lee, which means you'd play as Carley instead. If you had called for help, Brenda would start cutting into your leg, but you'd get found out before she could cut the whole thing, so basically just like A but with a damaged leg. If you had let it happen, Lee would be served as dinner.

Chapter 29: Saving Larry was what you guys went with, which decreased your relationship with Kenny drastically, but put everyone else up. There was a way to save Larry officially, but Mark would have had to die. While Lee is searching the house before dinner, you have the option to steal nitroglycerin pills which can be used in this scene. If you had killed Larry, Kenny's relationship with you would almost max out, however Lilly would hate you and Mark/Travis relationships would go down.

Chapter 30: You guys spared Danny, which caused Clementine to look up to you. This was also the deciding factor for the choice of Lee being leader. If you had killed Danny, Clementine would be scared of you again and Mark's relationship with you would go down. Lilly and Travis wouldn't care though.

Chapter 31: You guys spared Andy, which made you eligible for becoming Leeder (get it? Okay I'll stop..) if you had killed him, everyone in the group would be slightly scared of you, and you would not be able to become leader. Is Andy alive? Uh.. Let's move onto the next chapter.

Chapter 32: You guys are now leading the group, however if you chose to say no Lilly would stay leader and nothing would change. If you had voted on it, everyone but Kenny would vote for you to be leader, depending on your relationships with the cast however, this could be different.

Chapter 33: You guys chose to take a little, not a lot. If you had chosen to take all of it, Clementine would get that dumb hoodie, and your relationship with her would go down. Your relationship with Lilly, Mark and Ben would also go down, however Kenny would go up. If you had chosen to leave, Mark, Clementine and Lilly's relationships would go up while Kenny's would go down to about a three. If you had chosen to steal the whole station wagon, you'd have a working vehicle but the relationships of Clementine, Lilly, Mark, Ben and Travis would go down, while Kenny would go up. If you had voted on it, then overall the votes would be to not take the stuff and your relationships wouldn't change, though Kenny would question if you should really be leader if you're already puzzled.

Chapter 34: If you turned on the lights, Nate would be able to find you during the scene of leaving the car, like in canon. You guys luckily kept it off though.

Chapter 35: You guys chose D, however if you had chosen to go alone and the lights were on, Eddie would leave Wyatt and he would be shot by Nate. If you had chosen to leave the area, Wyatt and Eddie would never meet Justin and Danny, meaning that they are not involved in the rest of the story. If you had told Eddie to go alone then he would find Danny and Justin and Wyatt would abandon him, that is again if the lights are on. No matter what if the lights are off, Nate never finds the two and Wyatt and Eddie live another day together.

Thank you all for reading, I'll be posting Episode three's intro later tonight!))


	37. A Figure in the Night

((Before we begin with episode three, I'd like to address this review by user 404 who's been active for a long time giving me various ideas. I'd like to answer some of their questions so here we go:

First question, would Hershel's farm be involved if Vince lived? Yes, because Vince would still run into the farmer with Danny or Justin. Vince living would mean that he replaces Danny or Justin depending on who you would have shot.

Second question, why did I let Mark lose his fingers instead of his whole arm. I did this because I didn't want Mark to be a useless character. Plus, they were going to do more, but Lee made a ruckus, so the brothers had to stop operating, leaving some fingers behind.

Third question, did Kenny get shot? If not how was that prevented? He wasn't because in this play through Kenny was not looking for Andy, he was helping Lee. Carley has to save Duck instead which activates the fight between Lee and Andy earlier.

Next question, what is my intention with the story? I feel like this chapter will answer this question but I plan on exploring every event from the game, plus some other stuff happening between time periods such as the time gap between seasons 2 and 3 and the time gap between episode 2 and episode 3. May also go past season 4, but we'll see about that. No Michonne though, fuck Telltale's Michonne.

Lastly, what's my intention with Hershel? Will any characters from the comics/show show up? Well, you'll probably have to see what I do with Hershel and his family, but nah no characters from the comics or show meet the game's characters, aside from of course Jesus, Glenn and Hershel. Aside from that, you'll just have to see what happens to Hershel. Anyways onto episode 3!))

Lee and his group had finally gotten home, the motor inn. Lee was currently on his bed, next to Clementine's. The little girl was fast asleep, mumbling her father's name while holding her very special hat. Lee couldn't sleep.

In all honesty, he was feeling a bit.. Scared from that last nightmare he had. Last night he had a dream where Doug's corpse reanimated itself and told him that he could have saved him, and prevented Sam's death. Sam was the man who slept with his wife, the man who ruined Lee's life.

He felt the overwhelming urge to stay awake and protect the girl, but at around midnight he felt the need to relieve himself. Exiting the motel room, he went behind the walls to drain the lizard, however on his way back he noticed a figure sitting next to the RV, cleaning her gun. It was Lilly.

"Lilly? Is everything okay?" Lee asked, obviously concerned as he approached the silent woman.

"No, Lee." She said simply, not wanting to reveal too much to the man.

"Is it about uh.. Larry?" Lee asked the woman slowly, folding his arms as he leaned against the vehicle.

"What do you think?" Lilly shot back, her eyes watery. "He may have been an asshole, but you know what? He's my dad. He loved me and my family to the bitter end. To think he would've died in a meat locker without ever saying goodbye to his daughter."

"I'm sorry, Lilly." Lee softly said.

"I'm sorry too. We were so shitty to you in the beginning. I just want you to know that my feelings on you especially have changed." Lilly looked down and chuckled.

"What's so funny?" He asked with a slight smile, relieved to see her not mad at him or crying her eyes out.

"My father said there was something off about you. Don't tell me, I don't want to know. All I need to know is you are the leader of this group and a good man." She put the gun in her hands away.

"Larry knows a lot more than you think. Are you sure you don't want to know?" Lee asked, genuinely curious. Maybe he should start opening up about his past before it's too late.

"Don't make this night worse than it already is." Lilly replied with a shake of her head. "What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"We'll send the new boys out to see if that station wagon is still there. If it is, we'll be sure to take the rest of the supplies." Lee explained, referring to Ben and Mark.

"And if it isn't?" Lilly asked.

"I'm truthfully sorry for them if so. You know how it is though, I made a choice." Lee defended.

"I guess you'll have to live with it. Don't worry, I'm not going to judge you, we're all hungry, even with those assholes vegetables."

"How did you spare Andy and Danny? Personally, I think I would have done one of them in." Lilly questioned, looking up into Lee's eyes for the first time since they had spoken.

"I knew it was the right thing to do. I can't murder, not in this world."

"You're too much. Sometimes I feel like this group wouldn't survive without you."

"Heh, we'll see about that."

"I hope not. I'd be a fucking mess if you died. Even more than I am now."

"I mean that much?" Lee teased. letting out a yawn.

"Shut up." She responded with a blush, a new shade for the woman of pure anger. Lee had never seen her like this, maybe she was vulnerable, maybe she liked him? Did Lee like her back? Or were they just friends?

Choices:

A: Romance Lilly.

B: Head to bed, we're just friends.

Relationships:

Clementine looks up to you and views the world of you. 10/10

Kenny is still a little pissed at you, but happy you were able to meet a deal. 5/10

Lilly might have a crush on you. But do you have a crush on Lilly? 9/10

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet and smart. 9/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest leader ever. 9/10

Carley is your best friend and will always have your back. 10/10

Mark views you as his best friend and a great leader. 10/10

Ben doesn't really like your decisions so far but thinks you're okay. 6/10

Travis respects you a whole lot. 8/10


	38. The Morning After

Lee stopped a bit closer, leaning down to her level and placing his hand over hers, giving a soft small. "You're weaker than you look on the inside." He flirted.

"You're more attractive than I remember. Shit, what the hell am I doing?" Lilly asked herself, shaking her head before getting up off the chair, her face still red with blush.

"Lilly, what's wrong?" Lee asked her, watching her smack herself with her free hand.

"I can't, Lee. You're a great guy, I mean that, but this isn't the time. I'm too vulnerable to think straight." Lilly shook her head, gripping her fist harder and harder by the second.

"Okay, I understand. I'm sorry." Lee whispered, honestly pretty hurt.

"It's fine. Let's just forget this whole thing happened, okay?" Lilly asked, her voice close to breaking.

"I-okay.. I'll uh, see you in the morning." Lee awkwardly stuttered out.

"Yeah.. Sure." With that, Lilly left to her room, closing the door behind her. Lee breathed a dramatic sigh. What the hell was he thinking? It's Lilly! She's been through way too much tonight. But he thought he could help, maybe he did. Maybe he didn't.

Either way, he went to bed, looking down at his main responsibility, his favorite person at the motor inn: Clementine. Then, he finally fell asleep, thinking of her, and trying his best not to think of Lilly, or god forbid his wife.

"Lee! Wake the fuck up!" Kenny screamed, shaking Lee hard.

"What, what is it?" Lee stammered, barely awake.

"Lilly's gone! She took almost all of our fuckin' medicine!" Kenny replied angrily.

"What?!" Lee panicked, sitting up right and slipping his shoes back on. When he arrived at Lilly's room he found her bed with a note on it. It was still early morning but Kenny's screaming had woken his wife, son and Clementine. Carley almost never slept anymore so she was awake too.

"Oh my god.. How did she get our supplies? I locked my door!" Lee was even more hurt now, shocked at what she had done.

"She must have taken 'em somehow, Lee! What the fuck are we gonna do? We got almost no medicine, this town is tapped dry and the boats are out there just waiting for us! Let's get that RV running and head out, anywhere but here." Kenny reasoned, folding his arms angrily as Carley and Kat appeared in the doorway.

"Wait. There's a note." Lee picked up the piece of paper on the bed, sloppily written in chalk.

_Dear, Lee_

_Good luck with this group. I tried but I have no reason to be in it anymore. Don't look for me. Sorry I took the medicine, but you know how it is. _

_-Lilly_

"What's going on?" Carley asked, groggily rubbing her eyes.

"Ken, you've woken up Duck and I. You need to calm down." Katjaa quietly said.

"No, Kat! We need to leave. We are leaving this fucking place. Gather your shit and pile in the RV." Kenny demanded.

"Woah. Woah. Lee is the leader here, he should decide where we go-" Carley was interrupted as a loud gunshot was heard suddenly from outside of the motor inn, followed by a whistle as three men in ski masks with pistols jumped over the wall and stared down the group.

"Everyone out and on the ground, now!" The middle one yelled, causing most of the group to hide. At this point, everyone was awake.

"If y'all don't come out in five seconds, we'll make so much noise that you'd wish we would have just killed you! Come on out!" The man next to the leader threatened, holding his gun in the air.

"Stay here, I'll deal with this."

"Who the hell are those people?"

"Bandits. Don't worry, I'll handle them."

"No, I'm coming with you." Carley replies, taking out her glock.

"We're just going to reason with them. If we make too much noise, we're dead." Lee warned.

"And if you go out there alone, you're dead. Let's go." She strictly retorted, nodding her head at him. He understood and opened the door, revealing the men to his presence alongside Carley.

"Hold it, asshole!" The leader barked, pointing his gun directly at Lee while his goons pointed at Carley. She pointed back.

"Take it easy! Why are you here?" Lee tried to calm, raising his hands up since he didn't have a weapon.

"It's a funny story. I'm sure you remember Andy St. John. He looks a little different now, but he led us right to you! Heh, he may be down a farm, a family and an arm, but that man still has a brain. We want your shit, give us a trade!" Now that was a shock.

"Shit.. What do you want?" Lee asked calmly.

"Hm.. Food, for now at least. We'll need about five cans for the first trade, then tomorrow it'll be ten."

"What do we get back?" Carley challengers.

"To live, bitch. Now, shut the fuck up and get us our food. You think we're the only one's here? We got boys all around the wall just waiting to be fed." A hooded goon commanded, causing Carley to lower her weapon hesitantly. Lee shook his head and went back to his room, collecting his food supply. There goes half of the cans from the station wagon, Lee thought. He handed the stuff over to the bandits and then slowly walked back to his group.

"Much appreciated doing business. See ya tomorrow." With that, they ran back into the woods, the rest of the motor inn group exiting hiding after Lee gives the go ahead.

"How the fuck did that happen!?" Mark asked, obviously shocked.

"They fucked us!" Kenny yelled.

"No shit. Maybe the motor inn isn't safe.." Lee muttered, realizing that he should probably do a head count. He counted up everyone, everyone except for Travis. "Hey, Ben, where's Travis?"

"I dunno, he uh.. Went to the bathroom." Ben replied shyly.

"When? Did you not hear the part about bandits over the wall?"

"A couple of hours ago, I guess.." Ben mumbled. Something was up.

"We should go look for him." Lee sighed, holding his face in his hands.

"Sure, whatever. Find the kid, then come back. We are leaving, I don't feel safe here." Kenny commented, walking back over to the RV. Lee rolled his eyes, walked into his room and closed the window. So that's how she got the meds.. Damn, he thought, gathering his rifle and axe.

"Lee? Are you leaving again?" Clementine asked from her bed, arms over her knees.

"Yeah. Travis is missing, we gotta find him." Lee answered.

"Please don't get hurt. I want you to be safe." Clem whispered, looking down at the floor.

"Aww, thanks, sweet pea." Lee smiled, patting her hat before leaving the room.

Lee, Carley and Mark come back an uneventful hour later with no Travis. Ben is up on watch on the RV while the three walk inside. "So.. Lilly. Why do you think she left?" Carley asked.

"Well, I think the pressure of the group finally got to her. You know, with her dad dying and all." Lee guessed.

"Yeah.. Seems she dropped the position on you just to leave." Carley replied.

"It sucks." Mark muttered.

"Yeah, that's one way of putting it." Lee shook his head. Kenny immediately got out of the RV upon seeing Lee.

"Where's the kid?" Ken asked, looking behind Lee to not find him.

"Couldn't find him. We checked around the perimeter, down the street, in the woods. Nothing." Lee replied.

"Alright, that's it, we're out. I ain't sticking around for someone else to go missing. Lee, you know I'm right this time, with Lilly gone you gotta have my back." Kenny spoke. Maybe it was dangerous here, made others leave the group in search of something easier. But maybe they didn't have any other options. It was time to decide, would they stay or would they go?

Choices:

A: The motor inn is our home.

B: You're right, let's head to Savannah for the boats.

C: Let's go to Hershel's, maybe he'll help us with supplies.

Relationships:

Clementine thinks the world of you. 10/10

Kenny just wants to get out for his family's sake. He's neutral on you. 5/10

Lilly has left due to the pressure of the group, she likes you back but doesn't feel safe here anymore. 8/10

Katjaa thinks you're a sweet and smart dependable leader. 9/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest leader ever. 9/10

Carley is your best friend and will always have your back. 10/10

Mark views you as his best friend. 10/10

Ben feels like you're suspicious of him. 6/10

Travis is missing.. 8/10

Andy St. John is still out there. 0/10

The bandits have you by the balls. 1/10


	39. Searching Before Abandonment

Lee thought about everything that Kenny said and decided that today is the day everyone leaves. "You're right. Kenny, get that RV started, we're headed to Savannah. Carley, I want to check for Travis one last time. Mark you stay and rest."

"You're the boss." Carley agreed, stepping to Lee's side.

"If Clem asks where I am, tell her I went out and I'll be back."

"Sure. You better hurry though, I ain't waiting more than three hours once that RV's running." Kenny spoke.

"Of course. Thanks for the help Kenny." Lee genuinely said.

"Yeah, don't mention it." Kenny replied, stepping back over to the RV.

"So, Savannah, huh? Never been." Carley said, bringing conversation to the two as they exited the motel.

"Me neither. Kenny has though, he has a boat up there." Lee explained, keeping a steady pace and an eye out as the two entered the woods.

"So that's our plan? A boat? Gotta say, I do love the water." Carley enthused, getting a smile from Lee.

"I'm sure Kenny knows what he's doing. Besides, a boat sounds pretty safe."

"Yeah, hopefully those things can't swim."

The two stopped talking after that, looking out for Travis. They couldn't find him though, not anywhere. Thirty minutes later and they came back to where the station wagon in the woods would have been. Except, it wasn't.

"Oh no.. Aw shit." Lee cursed, placing his face in his palms in guilt.

"Hey, maybe someone stole it." She tried to calm him down, realizing that this might mean the stranger wasn't gone.

"Maybe.. God, what did we do?" Lee breathed a sigh of frustration, pinching his nose.

"You made a choice. You saved this group! Don't dwell on it, Lee, you did good. I find myself thinking that most days." Carley assures, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Which reminds me."

"What?" Lee leaked up from his hands, a nervous Carley looked from the dirt to her feet.

"You're a convicted killer." She started.

"Carley, Jesus!"

"And I think people should know. Not because that makes you a bad man, and not because you're not a good leader. I think the opposite of those two things. But because I'm afraid one day that someone will find out. You don't have to tell everyone, but tell those you trust. I don't want anyone to know from anything other than you telling them directly, understand?" Carley explained.

"I hear you. You're probably right." Lee responded.

"Of course I'm probably right." The two smiled at her joke for a second, moving back to the motor inn while keeping an eye out for the young teenage Travis. "People might be pissed, but isn't it better that you told them instead of it leaking out somehow?"

Choices:

A: You're totally right. (Tell me who you want to tell)

B: I'm not telling them.

Relationships:

Clementine is happy we're going to Savannah. 10/10

Kenny is happy you finally sided with him. 6/10

Lilly left because of you, but doesn't blame you. 9/10

Katjaa thinks that Kenny's plan might work and is glad you agree with him. 10/10

Duck thinks you know what you're doing and is excited to be on a boat. 9/10

Carley views you as her best friend, she'll always have your back. Now she wants you to help yourself. 10/10

Mark views you as his best friend but isn't sure how to feel about leaving the motor inn. 10/10

Ben feels like you're suspicious of him. 6/10

Travis is missing. 8/10

Andy St. John is still out there. 0/10

The bandits have you by the balls. 1/10


	40. Telling the Truth

((Sorry about the wait for this episode, I got writer's block bad and needed a break. The wait is over however!))

Lee thought of what she said, maybe it was time to tell the truth. "I'll let people know, you're totally right."

"Thanks. I knew you'd agree. This is for the best." Carley stopped Lee, grabbing him by the wrist and gave him a peck on the cheek before whispering into his ear. "You're not as bad as everyone said you were~"

Lee was left with a blush and a warm feeling in his chest. "Was not expecting that."

"Yeah? Me neither." The two chuckled with each other, but otherwise were silent the rest of the trip, until they got to the street across the motor inn. "Who's gonna break it to Ben that Travis is gone?" She asked out of the blue.

"Can you? I want to get this whole past thing over with." Lee requested, opening the wall for the two of them to squeeze through.

"Of course. See you in a bit." Carley walked away, towards Ben who was sitting on top of the RV on watch. At this point he probably knew.

Lee looked around and found Clementine coloring by herself, so he approached her. "Hey, Clementine. What are you doing there?"

"Hey, Lee! It's called a leaf rubbing! My teacher Ms. Moore taught us how to do 'em when we were in the botanical garden once!" Clementine held up her drawing and the leaf she was using. "See, it's the same. Um, kinda.."

"Now that's really something! You uh, mind if I tell you something?" Lee asked, feeling the pressure of the topic already.

"Sure!" Clem said with a smile, her voice upping in pitch with her response.

"The day I met you, I was in a car accident. You've known this before everyone else, but I want to make sure you understand. I killed before all this, someone who wasn't attacking me. I'm telling you this now, because I don't want you to hear it any other way." A silence overtook the girl as she stared down at the ground, taking what he said in.

"Do you have any questions for me?" She shook her head. "Alright, you can go back to your things." Lee got up, already feeling horrible. How would he tell the others?

He approached Kenny, who was working on the RV. "Kenny, can I grab you for a sec?"

"Kinda busy trying to get us out of here. What is it?" Kenny sighed, poking his head out from the door. "What's up?"

"Firstly, we couldn't find the kid. Bandits must have gotten to him while he was out." Lee answered.

"Shit. Can't believe they'd nab a kid like that.." Kenny exhaled dramatically, shaking his head.

"And uh, there's something else I gotta tell you." He hesitated, reading Ken's impatient expression. The man was determined to escape Macon.

"Well, spill it. I don't have all day, man."

"I was on my way to prison three months ago." Lee blurted out, watching as Kenny went wide eyed.

"No shit?" Kenny asked.

"No shit." Lee replied.

"It wasn't for touchin' kids, was it?"

"What, no! I killed a guy in a fight."

"Must have been a real piece of shit if you killed him." Kenny stated, looking the beaten up and tired Lee up and down.

"So.. We're cool?" Lee asked the boatman.

"Lee, we may have not had the best history in the last couple of weeks, especially yesterday, but you've been there for folks who needed it and have shown me that you ain't some cold blooded killer. So, yeah, we're cool." Kenny walked back to the hood of the RV. It seemed like he took it rather well. Lee sighed in relief before spotting Katjaa sitting by herself on a random couch. He walked up to her, planning on telling her next.

"Hey, Kat. Mind if we talk?" He asked her.

"Sure, Lee, what's the matter?" Lee sat down next to the mother, taking in a breath.

"I was uh, on my way to prison three months ago. You've always looked at me with kind eyes, and I'm wondering if you would now if you knew I was a convicted felon."

"My goodness, how much trouble could a teacher get into?!" Kat asked in shock, her eyes wide from surprise.

"Well, plenty. But that's not what it was for. I uh, killed the state senator." Lee explained, looking to the side to avoid her gaze.

"My god.. For what?"

"He and my wife, they were.."

"That's enough." Katjaa silenced, already knowing exactly what he was going to say. "What happened in the meat locker, at the dairy? Kenn he's.. He's changed since that day. A lot of us have, I know but he's been so determined as of late, more than usual."

"Larry.. Larry had a heart attack and I tried to save him. Kenny got the idea, as soon as he turned to bash his head in before it was too late." Katjaa gasped. Lee could feel himself tensing up as he recalled the scene, wincing with every word.

"D-did he do it?" Silence. Lee just stared at her with sorrow, until finally he nodded. She gasped and got up, walking back to her room. She paused at the door and whispered, "Everything keeps changing.." Before finally going inside.

Lee sighed, heading toward the nearest person he wanted to tell, Ben, who as mentioned before is on watch. "Hey, Ben. See anything?"

"Nah, man just.. Nothing. Which is good, right?" Ben asked, looking down at the man.

"Yeah. Sorry about Travis, he was a good kid." Lee lamented.

"I'd rather not talk about it. But, thanks Lee." Ben looked away at the forest and shivered.

"Can I tell you something?" Lee asked the teen.

"Sure, is it about my watch? I'm trying to impress you guys." Ben explained.

"No, you're doing fine. It's about me." Lee replied, folding his arms, the sun blinding him out of his peripheral vision.

"Okay, what is it?" Ben asked.

"Since I'm the leader around here now, I'd like to clear the air; I'm a convicted killer, and was on my way to prison before all of this." Lee flat out said, wondering how the kid would react. Needless to say, he was wide eyed and shocked.

"Woah. I've never met a murderer before. I mean, I hadn't before-"

"Yeah, yeah, it's okay, Ben. I get what you're saying."

"Well uh.. Thanks for trusting me, man." The awkward teen said.

"Of course. You're one of us now. With Lilly gone we need all the help we can get." Lee told him, looking to the last person he would tell his secret to.

"I'll be sure to work even harder. See you around, Lee." Ben waved off, clenching the rifle in his lap. Lee walked off towards Mark, who was checking out some guns.

"Hey, Mark, you got a second?"

"Yeah, of course. But, Lee, look at these, those dumbasses dropped three pistols while hightailing it outta here. That means, Katjaa and Kenny can finally have one, and we have an extra."

"Huh. Good find, man." Lee congratulated, slapping his shoulder playfully.

"What did you want to talk about, Lee?" Mark asked, getting a sigh from his best friend.

"Before we met, and before the plague.. I was a convicted killer. Was on my way to prison on the first day of all of this." Lee confessed, Mark looked at him weirdly, can't exactly describe the look of shock.

"Woah.. You? No way. You've.. You're so.." Mark gave up on trying to reply and just exhaled dramatically.

"I've been trying to reform, for me and for Clem. This might sound fucked up, Mark, but this apocalypse has given me a chance at redemption." Lee replied.

"God.. W-well, it's whatever. I'm just glad you told me." Mark said with a shake of his head.

"Of course. I'll be in my room if you need me." Lee slowly stated, heading off to his room.

"See ya, Lee." Mark said, going back to resting.

Lee walked into his room only to find none other than Carley sitting on his bed. "Oh, Carley, what are you doing here?" He asked, his voice gravely and low as usual.

"Mind closing the door?" The reporter asked after almost a full thirty seconds of silence. She wore a hot blush on her face and looked like she was sweating. Lee complied and the room was now even more silent.

"What's wrong? You look nervous." Lee quizzes, sitting down in Clem's bed.

"I am. For several reasons, actually." Was it hot in here or…?

"Wanna tell me? You can trust me, we're.. Uh-"

"There's one reason. What are we?" Now it was Lee's turn to look flustered. "Exactly. You don't know, I don't know.. Let's just address it, right?" Her voice broke a bit before she cleared it up.

"I think you're cute. I've honestly thought of you as an attractive woman for a while." Lee

"Ever since..?" She asked, waiting for his answer.

"Not sure. I guess things just.. Appear, y'know?"

"Lee, I heard you last night with Lilly and I know why she left." Well, shit. There goes the mood again.

"You.. Did?" Lee slowly asked.

"I don't blame you, hell I can see why you'd do it. The woman was going down a troubled path, you saw it early being the genius you are and tried to put an end to it." She guessed, watching Lee pace around the room before stopping to respond.

"Well yeah, but she also just seemed so vulnerable, like she needed someone at the time. You think that's why she left?" He asked.

"It is. She can't handle all of that stress. People are pissed, I'm sure, but we can't control it." Carley stated.

"Is that what was bothering you? Just Lilly?" He asked, seemingly not convinced.

"No.. It's something else. It's been a _long _three months." Carley let out a little exhale, taking off her bubble jacket, leaving her in a plain white shirt. "Would you.. Make it official?~"

Choices:

A: Carlee

B: No Carlee

Relationships:

Clementine is reminded of your past, which used to scare her. Now she understands and likes how honest you are. 10/10

Kenny likes that you were honest with him. 7/10

Katjaa is happy you trusted her, but unsure of how to feel in general. 10/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest leader ever. It would be a mistake to tell him about your past. 9/10

It's pretty obvious Carley is crushing on you. Will you go for it? 10/10

Mark is glad you told him the shocking truth. 10/10

Ben likes that you trusted him. 7/10

Andy St. John is still out there. 0/10

Bandits are forcing you out of the motor inn. 0/10


	41. On the Road to Savannah

((Thank you all for continuing to support me even when I leave for breaks, writing for ya'll is so much fun!))

Lee sighed, a weight being lifted off of him. "Of course, Car. I think we're ready for this. Maybe uh hold off on telling Clementine though?" He walked over to her, the two leaning in for a deep kiss.

"That little girl is smarter than you think. She'll figure it out eventually. Now c'mere~"

Two hours later, the two were getting dressed on Lee's bed, red in the face from the action that preceded this event. "So.. What did you think?"

"God I needed that. That's all I gotta say." Lee joked, tying his shoes.

"Agreed. Needed that like you need a shave." Carley shot at him, chuckling afterwards.

"Hey, what the hell am I supposed to use? My axe?"

"Better than nothin'. Relax, I'm just kidding. How do you feel?" She asked, getting up and peeking out the window. Kenny was almost done with the RV. It was five o' clock.

"I feel calmer, but.. I dunno. Is taking the entire group all the way to Savannah the right call?" He questioned, looking up at her from the bed.

"Well, I'd say that's your call. If you want my opinion, Kenny seems to know what he's doing. But you gotta ask the main question here: How will this affect Clementine? Face it, she's your priority." Carley stated, looking back at him.

"Of course. Her parents are there, maybe we could look for them?" Lee suggested. Carley raised a brow.

"I thought you said they were dead?" She questioned, causing Lee to hesitate.

"Yeah but.. Look, she doesn't understand that. I can't just tell her her parents are dead, she'd never talk to me again." He confessed.

"Lee.. C'mon, you can't keep pleasing her fantasy. Before we get to Savannah you have to-"

"YES, GODDAMN! Everyone, get over here!" Kenny called from outside, alerting the entire group. The two stepped out of Lee's room and walked up to the RV.

"You got it working?" Mark asked the captain.

"Yup, sure as hell did. So, does everyone have their shit?" Kenny asked, overjoyed.

"Yeah, we're all packed up. Clementine, here's your bag." Lee gave the girl her bag.

"Thanks Lee! Mind if I bring my leaf rubbing? I wanna make one for you!" Clem asked sweetly.

"Of course, sweetie." She shoved the papers and drawings utensils inside of her bag before getting in the RV.

"We got all of our supplies?"

"Yeah, what Lilly left of it."

"I'm thinking we make a stop at that drugstore, see what's left. Two can go in, two can come out." Mark suggested.

"Agreed. Alright, everybody in." Lee ordered. The group entered the automobile and were on the road to Savannah.

Upon arriving at the drugstore, Kenny stopped the car. "Alright, in and out. I'll stay here, just in case any trouble arises."

"Sure. Mark, you're with me." Lee told his best friend.

"Sure, Lee. C'mon." The two exited the vehicle, Lee giving Carley and Clem a nod of reassurance. Duck walked up to Clem and sat next to her as the two closed the door behind them. Lee and Mark walked toward the drugstore, everything seemingly quiet and calm. Both men wielded weapons, Lee a rifle and Mark a pistol. Of course, Lee always had his axe on him.

"Let's make this quick, I don't want to be around here any longer than I have to be." Mark said. Lee nodded but before he could open the back door leading to the office, a loud girlish scream was heard. The two looked at the direction the scream came from.

"That wasn't anyone from the RV. Let's check it out."

"Yeah, okay." Mark agreed, following the leader to the top of a truck overlooking the street. A woman was screeching to the top of her lungs as walkers upon walkers bit, tackled and scratched her.

"It's a woman, but she's gonna get us killed!" Lee whispered, trying not to attract attention.

"Lee.. C'mon, man. We gotta end her, put her out of this misery." Mark distraughtly said.

"Right. Well, actually.." Lee took out his rifle and aimed down at the street.

"What? C'mon, end this! We can't just leave her!" Mark demanded, the hairs on his neck standing up from her screams.

"Or maybe we can. Think about it, she keeps them occupied long enough for us to be able to grab enough supplies and slip out." Lee suggested, putting his finger against the trigger while aiming at her.

"Lee, that's fucked up, we can't do that! C'mon, do the right thing." Mark pleaded, watching as the woman was bit on her ankle by a corpse under a van.

Choices:

A: Shoot the woman

B: Leave her as bait

Relationships:

Clementine looks to you as her guardian, she truly is one of a kind. 10/10

Carley is your lover now. 10/10

Kenny likes how you've been siding with him lately. He realizes you are a good man. 7/10

Katjaa thinks you're very sweet and smart but something is off about her. 10/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest leader ever. 9/10

Mark is your best friend. 10/10

Ben likes that you trust him, but he seems off as well. 7/10

Andy St. John is still out there, looking for you. 0/10

The bandits are a thing of the past now that you're leaving Macon. 0/10


	42. A Difficult Subject

Lee shook his head at his friend, putting the rifle down. "Lee? Lee, what the fuck!?" Mark looked pissed, and he certainly was.

"We can't rescue everyone. Mark, she's half dead for god's sake! Now we have more time to grab what we can." Lee explained, leading the very frustrated Mark to the drug store.

"God.. What the hell has this world come to?" Mark muttered,

"You think I liked doing that? Hell no. Stop dwelling and get as much as you can." Lee handed his friend a backpack before they separated, gathering supplies as the woman outside screamed and cried for help until she was no more. By the time the walkers were done with her, Lee and Mark had ransacked the store and were out the door.

"We should get outta here before more of them show up, yeah?" Mark whispered, crouching down next to Lee.

"Agreed. The RV is just this way." With a lil bit of sneaking past some lone walkers shuffling towards the sound of screeching, the duo were inside the RV in no time flat. As soon as the door closed, Lee's arms were wrapped around Clem, and Kenny's foot was on the gas pedal.

"So, how much did ya get?" The father asked, glancing at the mirror.

"Clementine and I are pretty hungry. Did you get any food?" Duck asked the leader as Lee pulled away from Clem.

"We got what was left, and what was left was a lot." Lee proudly declared, handing the group pieces of food before gobbling down a chocolate bar like it was nothing, getting a chuckle from Carley.

"Great. Everyone better get comfy, 'cause I ain't stopping 'till we see water." Kenny told the group. Lee took a seat between Clem and Carley, whilst Mark took a seat across from Ben.

"Ducky, why don't you come over here and let Lee and Clem rest?" Katjaa beckoned her child, patting her lap.

"Alright. Night, Clem!" Duck waved, walking up to the blonde. Kenny almost smiled, almost. Lee wrapped an arm around Clementine and she leaned into him. Within seconds Carley, Duck and Katjaa had passed out. Ben twiddled his thumbs nervously as he spoke to Mark whilst the pair of Clem and Lee decided to chat.

"I'm glad I have you." Lee muttered, a full smile on his face as he looked out the RV window.

"Hm?" Clem hummed, looking up at her protector.

"I said I'm glad I have you. So many times you could have been taken away or worse. You've been strong since day one."

"I don't think I like the treehouse anymore." Clem giggled, closing her eyes and imagining it. Her walkie talkie stuck out of her pocket. "When I first saw you, I thought about dropping a hammer on your head."

"Wow, really? See, you really always have been strong." Lee remarked, kind of impressed.

"I'm still little." Clem mumbled.

"But you're strong willed. You've been through shit I couldn't imagine living through when I was your age." Lee chuckled lightly.

"Swear." Was all Clem said, letting out a yawn against him.

"Sorry. Everything okay?" Lee asked.

"..I miss my mom and dad. They were in Savannah last time we talked, and we're going there.. Maybe we could go look for them?" Clem opened her eyes again and looked into Lee's, a hopeful expression on her face.

Choices:

A: Sure we can.

B: No, we can't.

C: Clem, they're dead.

Relationships:

Clementine thinks the world of you, but going to Savannah may have been problematic.. Nevertheless, no turning back now. 10/10

Kenny is happy you returned with more supplies for his family, and even happier you haven't pissed him off lately. 8/10

Carley is your gf, so naturally she likes you a lot. 10/10

Mark didn't tell anyone why you were able to get so much supplies, due to the fact you're bro's, but he doesn't like what you did. 9/10

Katjaa seems off lately. She does still think you're very capable and smart. 10/10

Duck is happy you've continued to be a great leader by supplying him with food. 10/10

Ben also seems off, but the kid did just lose his friend. He's glad you got him more food since he could really use a break. 8/10

Andy St. John is still looking for you. 0/10


	43. The Train

Lee sighed, his eyes dragging down and away from Clementine. "Clem.. Honey, look.. There's not a great way of saying this but.. Your parents are gone." Clem looked up, pulling away.

"W-what? How could you say that? You're lying!"

"I wish I was, sweetie. But in truth there is no better way of saying it. When I first came to your house I heard an answering machine and what was on it didn't sound good. I heard your parents talking and your dad was bit."

"No! You're lying! Y-you just want them to be dead.. Why?" Clementine began crying into her hands, causing Lee to feel even worse as he explained more details.

"I wouldn't be lying about this. Haven't I always been honest with you? About our safety, your hat, about my past."

"Y-yes.. But not now." She managed to croak out, sniffling against her palms.

"I'm not done. Your dad got bit, and it looks like he turned. Your mom most likely.. Didn't make it. Which is why we need to focus on those who are still alive, like you and our group! We can't think of people we know are-" Lee cut himself off, watching as Clem bawled her eyes out quietly.

"Lee, that's enough. She gets it." Mark told his friend, watching the girl shiver and whimper was really depressing. Lee nodded, touching her shoulder.

"Shh.. It's okay, we're done talking about it. You can get to sleep now." He whispered calmly.

"P-please leave me alone.." She managed to say, burying her head against the back of the seat. Lee was on the verge of crying himself, but held it in, cuddling up next to Carley and finally passing out.

In his dream, Lee found himself surrounded by three figures in a dark void. "W-where am I?" Lee groggily asked the void, watching as the figures revealed themselves. "L-Larry? Doug? Travis?"

"Why did you kill us, Lee?" The three asked, their voices in complete unison while also completely distorted.

"I-I didn't! I tried to save all of you!" Lee defended, shouting at them.

"Like you tried to save your marriage? Or like you're trying to save Clementine? Doesn't seem to work out for you, does it?" They let out a creepy chuckle. "That little girl is as good as dead. Yup, hehe, dead girl walking. It doesn't help that she hates you either, does it?"

"Lee?" Clem's voice said from behind him. Lee slowly looked behind to see a walker version of Clementine, chewed up, decayed and yet pale, with those disturbing pale eyes. "Why did you kill me?"

"I would never! Clementine, please!" Lee begged, walking towards her felt wrong, heavy.

"It's okay. I'm sure Sam went through the same thing. I'll die too." Clem somehow knew Lee's ex wife's name despite the fact that he never mentioned it to her.

"No, you won't!" Lee fell to his knees, sobbing into his palms until he finally woke up to find Carley buried in his chest and Clementine laying down next to him. She probably cried herself to sleep. Lee rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes and gently stood up to wash his face.

"Shit, looks like we gotta deal with this.." Kenny muttered loud enough for Lee to hear. Ben was wide awake but it looked like he hadn't gotten more than an hour of sleep. Lee gave the kid an energy bar.

"Oh, uh thanks." Ben mumbled, taking the bar.

"You look exhausted. Don't worry, just calm down and have a bite to eat." Lee assured.

"Yeah.. Will do." Ben replied, yawning as he stripped the candy bar. Soon enough the rest of the group was awake as they received their rations for the day as well as bottles of water. The RV came to a stop just as Lee reached Kenny and his family.

"Is that a train?" Lee asked, looking at a long freighter that blocked off the road.

"Yeah, obviously we can't plow through it so.. RV's stuck. We gotta move it." Kenny explained, getting out of the RV to investigate.

"Everyone c'mon out, this area seems safe." Lee ordered, leading the group over to an oddly convenient sitting area surrounded by a fireplace. Katjaa, Ben, Clementine, Duck and Kenny sat down to rest. "Kenny, take a nap. We need you frosty."

"Sure, whatever. Just find a way to get rid of that train, it's in the way of our freedom." Kenny said, lying down on a log and shutting his eyes. Katjaa sat next to him.

"I'll stay here and watch Clementine and Duck. I heard what happened last night.." Katjaa muttered the last part, giving a sympathetic look to Lee. "You did the right thing, hun. You really did."

"Doesn't feel like it.. Thanks though, Kat."

"Of course, Lee. You're family." Katjaa replied with a smile. Lee walked over to Mark and Carley, his go to partners.

"Carley, come with me to search the train. Mark, go ahead and check out the surrounding area, make sure no one's around to jump us or anything. Also, be on the lookout for more supplies."

"Sure, man, I'm on it." Mark wandered off to behind the train while the couple moved to open the sliding door to the first compartment (And really only working compartment) of the train.

"Woah, now this looks lively." Carley joked, hopping up on the floor of the compartment.

"It looks like someone's been living here."

"Yeah, it does. Think they're gone?"

"I hope so. Mark will verify that in a bit though. C'mon, let's check out the rest." Lee said, leading Carley through the train. They checked out these lockers and managed to find multiple weapons.

"Good find, more weapons are always good. That axe isn't the safest thing in the world." Carley told him.

"Agreed, sometimes I feel like throwing it out. It gets stuck easy, it's heavy as hell, it isn't the best at killing." Lee listed.

"But you keep it." Carley pointed out.

"Ah, maybe I'm just hoarding, but who knows when you might need it?" The conversation stopped when they reached the conductors door. Lee took out the wrench he had just pocketed and gripped it hard, slowly opening the door. A corpse was sitting in the conductor's seat.

"Be careful, you never know.." Carley warned, taking out her own melee weapon.

"I will, don't worry." He responded, hitting the pruned up corpse as hard as he could. It was not a walker, had a bullet shaped hole right through his head.

"Guess this place is safe." Carley said with a chuckle. Lee was about to reply when he heard a door slam hard, followed by a walker's last breath. He walked over to the noise and checked to find Mark killing a decayed human in a car, using the door to bash it's brains in. He held up a box of animal crackers with a grin.

"Nice one, am I right?" Mark said, jumping into the room with them.

"Well fucking done, man. More food is always good." Lee congratulated.

"Thanks. Place seems secure, no walkers can sneak up with those bushes and no people seem to be around." Mark explained, wiping the blood off of his hands to his pants.

"Perfect. Finally, a break from strangers." Carley sighed, shaking her head.

"You guys trying to get the train moving?" Mark asked, looking at the dashboard.

"Not sure if that would work-" Just like that Mark starts the breaks, proving Lee wrong. "Well I'll be damned.."

"This fucker works?!" Kenny asks excitedly, appearing out of seemingly nowhere.

"Hell yeah it does. Oh, and I found this!" Mark handed Kenny a clipboard with a map on it that shows the tracks and where they lead, straight to Savannah.

"No way.. This freighter will lead us straight to Savannah!" Kenny announced happily, sitting in the driver's seat.

"Wait a minute, shouldn't you be napping?" Lee asked the family man.

"I'm wide awake now. Look, all that matters is that we get to the coast and grab ourselves a boat." Kenny firmly replied, looking around for how to start the train. "Mark, can you start the rest of this thing?"

"Sure can. Lee, why don't you go rest? You look just as tired as you did last night." Mark told the leader, getting started on configuring the engine.

"Sure, sounds good." Lee let out a yawn as he jumped off of the train and took a seat next to Clementine, who hadn't spoken all day. "Clementine? I'm uh.. I'm sorry about last night."

"..I don't want to talk about it." Clem muttered.

"I understand. What would you like to talk about?" Lee asked.

"I want you to tell me that you'll help look for my parents. If they're dead then fine, but I can't give up!" She begged him, clasping her lil hands together. Lee felt conflicted, knowing the right answer but.. Should he just play along anyways?

Choices:

A: The Answer is no

B; Fine, we can look.

Relationships:

Clementine isn't sure how to feel about you. She does like you, but thinks you hate her parents. 7/10.

Kenny likes you more than ever for being loyal and level headed. 8/10

Carley is your gf and naturally likes you a lot. 10/10

Katjaa thinks you're a level headed and sweet leader. She also thinks you did the right thing with Clem. 10/10

Duck thinks you're the coolest guy around. 10/10

Mark isn't sure of you after hearing your argument with Clementine but he is still great friends with you. 9/10

Ben likes and respects you but he still seems off. 8/10

Andy St. John is still looking for you. 0/10


	44. A Hard Pill to Swallow

"The answer is no. I'm sorry, but we can't go searching for more people. Do you remember what Lilly said when she was leader? We have to focus on our group. Duck, Kat, Ben, Mark, you. All of you matter."

"So do my parents, Lee! Y-you don't understand." Clementine got off the log and marched toward Katjaa and sat next to her instead of Lee. Lee was crushed, but knew he did the right thing, and so did Kat when she gave the ex teacher a nod. That's when Duck approached the man and sat down next to him.

"So.. Clementine's parents." Duck commented, holding up a fake microphone.

"Duck? What are you doing?" Lee asked the kid, wiping his eyes with his forearm from the stress of the day.

"I heard you and Clementine. Did you know it's her birthday today?" Duck asked, causing the man to gasp in shock.

"W-what? She didn't tell me.." Lee shook his head feeling like a complete failure.

"Hey, don't worry! I know she's mad at you but I got a present for her that you can give out.. If you'll give me those animal crackers Mark picked up." The boy bribed, showing Lee an extremely detailed drawing of Clem and her parents. Lee picked up the picture and was stunned.

"H-how the hell did you draw this? It looks amazing." Lee asked, completely surprised at the ten year old's artistry.

"So.. Those animal crackers?"

"Yeah, Duck, here. I'll have to hold off on giving this until later though, she's still mad at me." Lee said, handing the boy his snack.

"Awesome!" The kid cheered, opening the package and shoving several cookies into his mouth. Suddenly, a shadow immersed the group as footsteps crunched against the leaves. Everyone looked to the noise to see a dirty looking old man. Lee got up and grabbed his rifle, pointing it at the stranger.

"Woah there. I don't mean no harm, this here's my train." The man defended, holding his dusty hands up.

"Oh yeah? What's in that box car over there then?" Lee quizzed, his finger against the skin of the gun.

"A bottle of whiskey, some water, a map to Savannah. I ain't lying, son." He answered.

"You're not with anyone else, are you?" Ben asked, sweat running down his temples.

"Nah, I prefer to stay on my own. Would you lower the gun, please?" The man asked. Lee dropped the rifle back to it's holster.

"Right, sorry. I'm Lee, this is Clementine, Katjaa, Duck and Ben. We have three others in the train." Lee introduced, the group mostly waving at the stranger, except for Ben who just sighed in relief.

"Nice to meet y'all, I'm Chuck. Charles, if you're fancy. Y'all want some candy?" Chuck offered, showing the group some chewy band candy.

"Yes please.." Clementine said meekly, still torn up about earlier. Chuck gave her some of the candy, a smile on his face.

"You didn't mess with it, did you?" Lee asked strictly.

"I know there are some sicko's out there, but no. I'd never." Chuck handed Duck and Ben the last of his candy before settling down on a nearby log.

"Would you mind staying with us?" Katjaa asked, a smile on her face as she watched the man pull out a guitar and begin playing.

"Not at all. Though, I'd like to meet the three others first." The old man nodded, beginning to play a soft melody. Katjaa sighed as Clementine held her hand tightly. Duck nuzzled up to her as well while Ben silently chewed on his candy. Carley, Kenny and Mark came out to find the group with a new face.

"Who's this?" Kenny asked Lee specifically, folding his arms suspiciously.

"This is Chuck. He's a nice guy and owns the train."

"Howdy." Charles greeted simply, trying not to lose focus on his guitar.

"Is he tagging along?" Carley asked.

"That's up to him." Lee responded, everyone looking at the new stranger.

"Sure, sounds like you're taking my home anyways. Plus, I like the warm group you got goin' on. I guess I could stick with ya. Where are ya headed anyways?"

"To Savannah. We're headed there for a boat." Mark answered.

"Ah, we'll see what happens then. We goin' now?"

"Yup, the train works perfectly thanks to Mark's handy work. Everybody on, we're headed to Savannah." Kenny commanded, leading the group to the train. Clem stayed by Kat's side once they had gotten inside, but did give Lee a few glances next to Carley. Kenny and Mark stayed up front whilst Duck fell asleep next to his mother. Chuck sat next to Ben, strumming along on his guitar, even if he could barely hear his instrument.

"Gotta be tough, takin' care of three kids. No disrespect, son." Chuck commented, looking towards the teenager.

"It's whatever.." He replied, looking back down to his hands. "I need some air." Ben added, getting up and walking to the outside of the box car.

"There used to be more of us." Lee said.

"Ah, dead got em?" Chuck asked.

"Some, not all." Lee answered.

"Ah, livin' too, eh? That's the reason I didn't get into a group for so long." Charles nodded, chugging down his alcohol.

Choices:

A: Give Clementine her gift.

B: Check on Ben.

C: Talk to Chuck.

D: Ask Carley for advice.

Relationships:

Kenny is a-okay with you, I decided to edit his relationship a bit since a user pointed out that he shouldn't be this high yet since we did side with Lilly in the meat locker and I thought they were right. 7/10.

Clementine is very angry with you, distancing herself out of sadness and frustration. 5/10.

Carley isn't sure what's urking you, maybe you should tell her? 10/10

Katjaa believes you did the right thing. Being honest isn't easy, but you're a good caretaker. 10/10

Duck is the GOAT. 10/10

Mark is still your best friend. 9/10

You just met Chuck, but he seems like a good soul. Maybe you should get to know him? 6/10

Ben seems distant lately. Maybe you should see what's up? 8/10

Andy St. John is still looking for you. 0/10


	45. Are You Serious?

Lee got up from his seat next to the window of the train, wanting to see what was up with Ben. "Hey, where are you going?" Carley asked him.

"Gonna see what's up with Ben, he's been acting weird since yesterday. Kid might need to talk to somebody." Lee responded, looking down at the mocha woman.

"Well, good luck with that. I'm sure the sun will keep your seat warm." She smirked, watching him as he left towards the area Ben left to. Lee found Ben looking down the guardrail of the train, watching the tracks speed by as the train rode along the metal road.

"Hey, Ben, what's wrong?" Lee asked, standing next to him.

"Oh, uh hey, Lee. I just needed some air. Y'know, being back there kinda squished me up a bit." Ben told him, awkwardly chuckling.

"I see. Well, Ben we need to talk." Those words made the skinny teenager go pale.

"O-okay, what about?" He stuttered out.

"You've been acting pretty strange lately. Not talking a lot, being increasingly distant.. What's up? Is it about Travis?" Lee asked, leaning against the railing next to Ben.

"I.. Uh, yeah! It's about Travis. I.. Uh, It really sucks he's gone." The blonde muttered, sweat rolling down his forehead. Lee noticed and squinted at him.

"Really? You know we can talk about it, right?" He assured.

"Yes. I'm thankful you're interested but.. Can I please have some space, man?" Ben begged, shoving his face into his palm.

"Of course. Take a deep breath, Ben. We'll get through this." Lee nodded, walking back inside. Ben let out a sigh or relief.

"Fuck me, man.." He whispered as the door finally closed, unbeknownst to Lee. The leader shoved his hand into his pocket and felt the drawing in his hand, the same one Duck spent at least two days on. He looked over to Clementine, who was still talking to Katjaa and took a deep breath, approaching the little girl.

"Hey, sweet pea. I heard it was your birthday today and, well.. I wanted you to have this." Lee smiled warmly, handing her the crumpled up piece of paper.

"Oh, um.. Thanks." Clem muttered, unwrapping the piece of paper. The bright smile on her face said it all. "L-Lee! This is.. Thank you!" She wrapped her guardian into a hug which Lee reciprocated. Chuck and Katjaa smiled at the two.

"No problem, honey. Happy birthday." Lee chuckled.

"Lee..? I've been talking with Katjaa and.. She told me you did the right thing. Well, I believe her. I'm.. I'm sorry." She apologized, holding him tighter. Both parties could feel the water works coming.

"O-oh, sweet pea, it's alright.. I was a bit harsh. I just needed you to know what's most important." Lee held back a few tears from escaping, finally letting go.

"We'll be in Savannah before you know it. Get some rest."

"Okay. See you.." She yawned, resting up on the wall of the train. "In Savannah.." She closed her eyes, and was asleep within a minute. Lee sat down next to Carley once again.

"Wonderful parenting skills, Lee. You're a cut above." Kat commended quietly, holding her child under her arm.

"Thanks, Kat." Lee replied.

"Being a teacher pays off, huh?" Carley bumped his shoulder, watching as Lee once again leaned against her shoulder.

"Less teasing, more sleeping. I've been tired since I woke up.." Lee yawned. Carley shook her head and held his cheek.

"Night, then." She whispered, kissing his head just as he fell unconscious.

An hour later, Lee was awoken by Chuck tapping on his shoulder. "H-huh..? What's up?" Lee asked groggily.

"Get up and follow me. We gotta talk." Chuck ordered, watching as Lee rubbed the sleep from his eyes and rose to his feet.

"Okay.. What's this about?" He asked, scanning the room to see everyone either asleep or playing (like Clem and Duck) The two walked out of the room and past Ben.

"About the girl. Hell, it's about the boy, too." Chuck answered, opening the conductors room. "Hey, highwayman. We need to talk." The homeless man had a fifth of whiskey in his hand, barely any left. Kenny turned back for a second and squinted at the new guy.

"Great, what did I do?" Kenny joked, rolling his eyes.

"Nothing, man, I'm as confused as you. Chuck, what's up?" Lee asked, watching as Chuck finished the last of the bottle before tossing it into a trash can.

"Y'all got kids. Both of em still act like kids. That ain't right. It's charmin' and all, sweet to see kids still being kids. But times are different. Clementine and Duck need to be changed." Chuck explained, leaning against the door.

"How so?" Lee asked, way calmer than Kenny who was currently glaring at him.

"They need to be taught how to shoot." He blankly said, causing both men to become agitated.

"Hell fucking no. Duck? Taught how to shoot? Uh-uh. I don't think so." Kenny firmly stated.

"I really wish it didn't have to be. Boy's as sweet as his mother, but he's gotta be tough. Like his father." Chuck told the fisherman.

"They're little kids, man. We can protect them." Lee argued.

"What happens if you get bit, or she's alone? She'll die. Same with your boy." Chuck shook his head, folding his arms as he crossed his legs. "Look, in times like these you aren't little. You ain't little, you ain't big. You ain't male or female, you ain't black or white, you ain't a kid or a man, you're alive.. Or you're not. Seeing another kid die might just do me in. Please, take my advice?"

Choices:

A: You're right, Chuck.

B: Hell no.

C: Sure, but only Clem.

Relationships:

Clementine has finally apologized and realizes what she did wrong. 9/10

Kenny isn't sure what to think of Chuck's plan. He's leaning towards "no" significantly. 7/10

Carley is glad you and Clem have finally come back to adoring each other. 10/10

Mark is also glad that you two resolved your issues. 10/10

Ben still won't open up to you, but is thankful that you checked up on him. 9/10

Katjaa helped you in reuniting with Clem after almost a full day of silence. 10/10

Duck thinks you're a pretty cool guy. 10/10

Chuck wants you to take his advice for the safety of the kids. 6/10

Andy St. John is still looking for you. 0/10


	46. Gun Safety

Lee listened to Chuck's advice and, although it was a difficult choice, he agreed. "You know what? You're right. We should teach the kids how to shoot, protect themselves."

"Lee, are you speaking for me?! I will not train my ten year old to fire a gun, he's too young!" Kenny yelled over the sounds of the railroad.

"You didn't just hear Chuck? There is no 'too young' anymore. I don't want to put Clem through this shit either, but goddamn it it's either that or I watch her get killed. She defended herself alone in that treehouse, I'm sure Duck can do the same." Lee argued, trying to get the family man to understand. Kenny gripped his fist and sat back down.

"I'm not doing it." He grumbled, focusing on the tracks.

"Fine, get someone else to." Chuck suggested, walking with Lee out the door.

"I will. Because like it or not, this is the world now, at least until this is over they should be prepared for anything." Lee said before closing the door. Chuck handed him a map and a pair of scissors.

"Cut the girls hair. Any passing hand could grab that mess way too easily. And go over your plan with her, too." The homeless man told Lee.

"Thanks, Chuck." Lee said with a smile, walking past Ben and into the box car.

"Don't mention it." Chuck replied, sitting back down across from Mark.

Lee sat down next to Clem, who was currently sitting at the opening of the box car, her legs dangling down, the wind blowing across her body. "Hey, Lee." She greeted, trying to put on a smile.

"Hey, Clem. How are you doing?" He asked, placing his hands firmly on the edges of where they sat.

"I'm okay. Kinda bored though. How are you?" She asked back.

"I'm.. Well, I'm not gonna like the next half hour, but we have to talk. It's important." Lee answered, standing back up.

"Oh no.. What happened?" Clem asked worriedly.

"Nothing, it's about you and Duck's safety." Lee explained.

"Did you say my name, Lee?" Duck asked, crawling up from his mother's arm and standing in front of him.

"Lee..? What are you doing?" Kat asked, standing up and leaning against the wall. Carley and Mark also stood to listen to their leader.

"I'm not sure how many of you will like this but.. I'm teaching the kids how to shoot. Chuck brought up some good points, and the kids need to learn how to defend themselves just like everyone else." Lee stated, getting mixed reactions.

"Finally, I was going to suggest this sooner or later." Carley said excitedly. Mark and Katjaa didn't feel the same.

"No you won't. Not my baby boy." Kat shook her head.

"Katjaa.. It's what's best for him." Lee tried to explain.

"Yeah, mom. I need to learn." Duck agreed, trying to hide his nervous excitement.

"Do we have to?" Clem asked quietly.

"Yes, you do, honey. Why don't y'all settle down while Lee and I teach the kids how to defend themselves. Y'all are pretty riled up." Chuck suggested, watching as Katjaa approached Lee.

"You are not changing my child into a soldier!" Katjaa stuttered, tears ready to spill.

"Calm down, Kat. You're smart, you know he needs this." Lee raised his hand in defense. He watched Katjaa get furious for once in her life, her eyebrows furrowing and her teeth gritting.

"EVERYTHING KEEPS-... Everything keeps changing." The Michigan mother mumbled, going back to her original seat and curling up into a ball. Chuck took Duck's arm and led him to the corner of the room. Lee did the same.

"Lee, while I agree with what you're doing, I don't at the same time."

"Remember what I said yesterday? This world is different, Mark." Lee told his friend.

"You're right.. Too different." Mark shook his head and sat back down. Carley joined the two men and touched Lee's shoulder.

"Hey.. This is a good idea. Don't put yourself down." Carley whispered, kissing his bushy cheek before sitting back down. Lee nodded and handed Clem his gun.

"Alright, let's get started." Lee told the kids.

* * *

Within twenty minutes, Clem and Duck had been learning how to shoot. In fact, Duck was still trying to learn, shooting bottles left and right. Clem had done a good job as well, with Lee giving her the advice of, "Don't hesitate, not even for a second. If someone you know turns.. You have to stop them."

Now, Lee was cutting Clementine's hair whilst she talked to him about what was on her mind. "So.. You did kill someone before."

"I did, and I regret every minute of it. Killing is wrong, no matter what." Lee responded.

"Yeah. Unless you're protecting yourself or me." Clementine replied, thinking about the St. John's and how they died because of what the group did.

"Right. Even then, you shouldn't be proud of it." Lee told her sternly.

"Right.. I'm really gonna miss my parents." Clem said with a sigh.

"I bet, sweetie." Lee sighed, clipping off some hair on the sides. Eventually, he finished and looked down at her. "Okay, I think I'm all set. Do you have any uh, hair things?"

"Yeah, actually. Lilly gave them to me for sleeping." Clementine took out a pair of scrunchies and handed them to the dark skinned man. Lee put her hair in a nice set of pigtails and smiled. Clem felt her hair and sighed. "How do I look? Is it ugly?"

"Nah, you look cute. And a lot harder to grab." Lee ruffled up her hair, taking out the map and sitting back down next to her. "Next, we need to go over our plan in case there aren't any boats left in Savannah."

"That's a good idea!" Clem chirped cheerfully. Lee smiled and chuckled.

"Thanks. Okay, our plan is…"

Choices:

A: Find another boat with Kenny

B: Split from the group

C: Find a new, safer place to stay

Relationships:

Clem has finally forgiven you. She may not be over her parents, she may never get over them, but she does forgive you. She's okay with being trained with a gun. 9/10

Kenny is pissed you didn't side with him again, but gets why you didn't. 6/10

Katjaa is very displeased with this decision. 8/10

Duck thinks guns are really cool! He is happy with your choice. 10/10

Carley supports your choice all the way. 10/10

Chuck is happy you made the smarter choice. 7/10

Ben still seems a bit off. 9/10

Mark hates this new lifestyle and just wants everything to go back to normal. Who doesn't? 10/10

Andy St. John is still looking for you. 0/10


	47. Roadblock

"To find a newer, safer place. If we can't find a boat, a secure base is the next best thing." Lee finished, deciding his other options weren't nearly as safe as just hauling up somewhere long term, especially for the kids. Man, maybe he should have gone to Hershels..

"Yeah, like my treehouse!" Clementine compared. Her happy smile turned to a face of sadness as she remembered her parents. She was still obviously sore, after all it had been only a few hours since she decided she had to let them go.

"Exactly, but a whole lot more comfortable. Where would you like to go?" Lee asked, noticing her pitch.

"Maybe.. Um, Mexico?" She suggested, thinking off the top of her head.

"Why, you want a taco?" The two shared a laugh. Katjaa glared at them but only for a second. Her anger soon turned to a soft sigh as the pop of Duck's pistol cut through the air once again.

"Too easy!" Duck celebrated. In reality, his hands hurt a lot but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't having fun.

"Nice shootin', kid. Go take a break." Chuck suggested, holding out his hand for the gun back.

"Aww, okay, okay.." Duck gave Chuck the gun back and ran back to a box sitting alone. He took a seat on it and awkwardly looked over at his mom. He knew she was worried about him, but Lee was right. It was time for Duck to be the hero the group needed. Or, so he thought.

"Lee? Do you think things will ever go back to normal?" Clem asked, peering back up at the ten year old Duck.

"I sure hope so, Clementine. Who knows? Maybe one day someone will come up with a cure and we can all go back to school." Lee answered, staring at the golden landscape, the sun shining down on the train and the wilderness across from it.

"Not you, you're an adult." Clementine argued.

"I worked at a university, remember? I was a history teacher." Lee replied snarkily.

"Like social studies?" Clem asked slowly, a bit confused by the subject's name.

"Yeah, but for way bigger kids than you." Lee said playfully, placing his hand on her hat.

"I miss school.. I know it's dumb, but I had friends. Not just Duck and Ben."

"They're better than nothing. Imagine being in this all by yourself."

"That's true.. Lee, do you mind leaving me alone?" Clementine looked down at her talkie and Lee took the hint.

"Oh, of course. Talk to me if you need anything." Lee said, getting up from his position. Clem nodded as Lee made his way back to Mark and Carley.

"So, the little girl's a sharp shooter now?" Carley asked, giving him a smirk.

"Eh, she'll learn to get better at shooting over time. How are you two holding up?" Lee asked, sitting next to Carley and across from Mark.

"Fine, fine.. But, Lee.. We gotta talk abou-" Mark started.

"Oh shit, hold on, everybody!" Kenny's voice boomed through the train as the screeching sound of the engine blared loudly. If there were walkers around, or god forbid people..

The train came to a halt, everyone in the vehicle exiting to see what the ruckus was. A giant bridge was in front of the tracks, which would be fine.. If there wasn't a huge tanker in the way as well. Kenny breathed a frustrated sigh and put his hands on his hips. "Shit, we can't plow through that.."

"Maybe we can just walk?" Ben mumbled to the mustachioed man.

"Are you crazy? This train is our best chance of making it to Savannah in one piece, kid. Unless you want to die, we have to stick to the train."

"Hey, Kenny, ease up on the boy. It was just a suggestion." Charles butted in, stepping closer.

"Everybody calm down, we can figure this out." Mark reasoned.

"Oh we'll figure it out alright." Kenny threatened, his voice a bit louder as he glared at Chuck. Katjaa and Duck looked away in shame.

"Dude, if you keep screaming' like that, you're gonna get your face chewed off!" A male voice from the bridge yelled down, getting the attention of the group.

"Are you guys gonna be trouble? Because we could have just kept walking." A female appeared next to the male. She looked slightly taller.

"No, we're friendly!" Carley yelled, putting her glock away.

"Yeah, we mean no trouble." Lee confirmed, feeling Clem hold his hand tightly.

"Sick train, dude. Why'd you stop?" The male asked. He seemed rather friendly.

"Because that tanker right there is standin' right in front of our destination." Kenny replied, folding his arms suspiciously.

"We could help you out, send up your buddy and we can work something out!" The short male suggested.

"Sounds good. I'll be up in a sec." Lee began walking, letting go of Clementine's hand. Kenny stopped Lee mid walk.

"If they try anything malicious, we won't let them escape." The fisherman whispered. Lee nodded before continuing, climbing a ladder to the bridge.

"A group of guys is what we need." The male stranger told his partner.

"They're what you think we need." She responded strictly.

"C'mon, Christa, you know I'm right. What if-"

"Stop it." Christa shushed as Lee poked his head up from the ladder and stood to greet the couple.

"Hey dude, I'm Omid." The short male greeted, a smile on his face.

"Heya, my name's Lee. I'm the leader of the group. Christa, is it?" Lee greeted back. Christa looked flushed when she mentioned his name.

"That's right." She grumbled. Omid let out an awkward laugh. "So, you think you'll need our help?"

"If you guys can help us out with that tanker, definitely." Lee said, trying to return his own smile.

"How's your group?" Christa quizzed, a hand on her hip.

"We're tight knit. We lost a few people recently, but Kenny, the guy with the accent, still has a family. Carley and Mark are really trustworthy people. We just met Chuck but he's a great guy. Ben is young and stupid but he tries his best." Lee explained, pointing at those he named so they knew who he was talking about.

"Well, they seem like good people. Mind if we start-" Before Omid could finish, Clementine appeared climbing up the ladder. "Holy shit. Goddamn, you guys have a kid!" He exclaimed.

"Clem, what are you doing up here?" Lee asked.

"Do you know how long it's been since I've seen a kid?! Shit! What's your name?" Omid asked excitedly.

"C-Clementine." Clem introduced herself, a bright smile on her face.

"Oh, so he gets to swear?" Lee joked, folding his arms.

"You're not her dad, are you? Is he down there?" Christa asked, looking between the two.

"It's that obvious?" Lee responded. "And no, he isn't. We prefer not to talk about it." He added.

"Ah, I see. So, what's your story?" Christa questioned.

Choices:

A: We met when this all started.

B: None of your business.

C: I was on my way to prison…

Relationships:

Clementine seems content with your plan. 9/10

Kenny just wants to move the hell on. 6/10

Carley is your lover and supports your choice. 10/10

Katjaa is still a bit mad but understands your decision. 8/10

Duck likes using guns, he feels like he could be a real hero. 10/10

Chuck is happy with your plan. 8/10

Ben still seems a bit off. 9/10

Mark is your best friend. 10/10

Omid seems like a cool guy, but you just met him. 6/10

Christa seems suspicious of you (reasonably). 5/10

Andy St. John is still out there. 0/10


	48. The New Guys Seem Nice

((Just wanna thank everyone for being patient with me. I know I've lost fans over my depression, and I'm sorry, but I love you guys and this story. Daily uploads may no longer be a thing ALL the time, but I will still try and upload at least twice a week. Thank you.))

Lee thought of an answer to Christa's question, should he be upfront or should he keep his past a secret? Ultimately, he decided to take his girlfriends advice and be honest, no matter their reactions. "I was uh.. A convicted murderer, on my way to prison before all this."

"Sweet, get any prison tats?" Omid joked, a giddy smile on his face.

"Didn't make it that far." Lee chuckled along with Omid, enjoying his light heartedness.

"I hope you've changed." Christa said, referring to the whole prison thing.

"Certainly have. The officer hit a walker on the highway and after a while I met Clementine. We've been together since." Lee explained, kneeling down next to the girl and smiling. She smiled back. Christa wasn't sure how to react.

"Well.. At least you're honest. I can respect that." Christa responded slowly, giving him a nod of approval.

"You ready to introduce us to your group?" Omid asked excitedly. Christa raised her brow at him.

"Sure thing, follow me down." Lee responded, slowly climbing down the ladder, the other three following him down. Once the three had safely gotten down, Kenny, Katjaa, Chuck and Mark moved closer to greet them. Carley and Duck stood back. "Guys, this is Omid and Christa."

An awkward silence enveloped the group, until Mark stepped up with his damaged hand, awaiting a handshake. "Welcome, I'm Mark."

"Woah, that's sick! How'd you lose em?" Omid recoiled, before his grimace was replaced by the happy grin.

"It's a long story. I could tell you somewhere more private, y'know, spare the kids." Mark gave a wink, already gaining an eye roll from Christa.

"Heck yeah!" Omid cheered.

"Alright, enough lollygagging. Lee, that train station over there might have some supplies. Get your bearings, then think about who you wanna bring with you to check it out. I'll hold down the fort."

"Sounds good to me. Ben, you're on lookout." Lee ordered.

"Yeah.. Sure." The teen sighed, climbing the train until he was on the top, sitting down with his face directed towards the tracks. Lee shook his head, making a mental note to check up on the kid later.

"I'd like to get to know the girl, if that's alright." Christa told Lee, Clem's face brightening up at the thought of attention.

"Sounds good to me. I'll go check up on everyone before I leave." Lee turned his back while Christa and Clem sat down on the grass, criss cross applesauce style. The leader approached Chuck first, watching the old man play his guitar. "Hey, Chuck, how you doing?"

"Eh, pretty good. A bit worried for Kat, but I think she'll warm up to the idea of her son becoming a fighter eventually." Chuck answered.

"She'll have to." Lee said, taking on a more stern tone.

"Maybe. Thanks for backing me up earlier." Charles replied, his eyes unmoving from his dusty hands on the strings of the instrument.

"Of course. You're right about the kids, they need to learn how to protect themselves."

"The boy, Duck. He's a natural. That scares me." Chuck sounded slower and gravelly than normal as he spoke those words, as if it hurt him to say it.

"Why?" Lee questioned.

"This world can change people. Don't let that kid get too into killing. Or, at least, someone should." Chuck shook his head, continuing to play.

"Agreed. I'll keep an eye out for him. Stay safe, Chuck."

"Will do." He replied, picking up his head to watch Lee disappear towards Kenny and Katjaa.

"Hey, guys. How you uh, holdin'-"

"You wanna know how we're holding up, Lee?" Kenny interrupted, his face turning to face the leader of the group.

"Ken, wait-" Kat tried to stop Kenny from going any further, but you know him. Always the stubborn time.

"Hell no! You made my wife cry, and I wanna know why!" Kenny started walking towards Lee, his eyebrows furrowed and his voice loud.

"Kenny, listen, you know what happened. You said you'd be fine with Chuck training Duck to use a gun." Lee explained, Katjaa becoming extremely

"You did? What the hell is wrong with you?" Katjaa asked angrily, a new emotion she rarely took on.

"I- that's what's bothering you?"

"Of course! You think I want my ten year old boy to shoot a gun?! Of course not!"

"Kat-" Kenny tried to interject similarly to her.

"No, you don't get it! You aren't the same, nothing is!" The manic mother started backing away.

Lee reached out for the woman but it was already too late, she walked away, back inside the train. Kenny growled, walking away from Lee to regain his composure. "I'm not sure what to say. Thanks for lookin' out for my boy." With that, Kenny walked inside the train after his wife. Lee shook his head and sighed, realizing that he should probably start heading out to the train station. Or, he could talk to Christa and Omid. After all, he did just meet them.

He nodded, thinking to himself that talking to the new guys would be a good idea. Approaching Christa and Clementine, he looked down at the two as they stopped their conversation to look back at him. "You interrogated this woman for us?" Lee humored Clem.

"She's very thorough." Christa answered for her.

"Yup!" Clem chirped.

"Have any alarm bells gone off yet?"

"Nope. She's okay." Clem replied in a slightly suspicious tone, getting a smile from the older woman.

"Glad to hear. Where did you guys come from?"

"San Francisco."

"Woah, a long way from home, huh?"

"I blame that one over there," Christa nodded towards Omid, rolling her eyes. "He wanted the great American road trip."

"He got a lot more than he bargained for."

"Exactly. Who the hell is even into civil war history, other than old white guys?" Christa asked with a shake of her head. Lee slowly raised his hand with a wide grin. "Well then, you two'll be thick as thieves."

"Well, I'm gonna head off to that train station. We don't have long until the walkers show up, and daylights burning."

"Be safe out there, it's better to bring someone with you in case things get hairy." Christa recommended, looking at the clouds in the sky. It looked to be about four or five in the afternoon.

"Right, that might be a good idea.."

Choices:

A: Bring no one

B: Bring Kenny

C: Brick Chuck

D: Bring Mark

E: Bring Carley

F: Bring Omid and Christa

G: Bring Duck

Relationships:

Clementine likes that you were honest with Omid and Christa. 9/10

Kenny just wants to move on, he's even more pissed than before. 6/10

Carley is your lover and main support unit. 10/10

Katjaa is sick of everything going on. 8/10

Duck is excited to use his skills in a real battle situation. 10/10

Chuck likes you and your group. 8/10

Ben still seems a bit off. 9/10

Mark is your best friend. 10/10

Omid seems like a cool guy and he appreciates your honesty. 7/10

Christa also appreciates your honesty, even if it's risky. She likes that you trusted her with that. 7/10

Andy St. John is still out there. 0/10

((I cant promise daily chapters, but I can promise that this series will never end. If it does, I will update you all in reviews. Thanks for sticking by!))


	49. The Train Station

Lee took Christa's advice, looking around to find someone to join him. When he went through his options, he found that bringing Christa and Omid would be a bad idea considering that they're new, bringing Duck is a disaster waiting to happen, bringing Kenny might help his relationship with the leader, but he might just be a grouchy asshole the whole time. That only leaves Carley, Mark and Chuck.

Lee decided that Chuck would be the best option. Approaching the relaxed hobo, Lee put on a serious expression before offering him a pistol. "Would you mind checking out that train station with me? Four hands are better than two." Chuck looked at the weapon for a few seconds before looking past Lee at someone else, Clementine.

"Sure. On one condition." Chuck replied. Lee raised his brow.

"I'm listening." Chuck pointed at Clem, who was currently chatting with Christa and Omid (who had seemingly joined the conversation after Lee left.)

"We're bringin' the girl."

"Oh come on-"

"Don't you 'come on' me. You know for a fact that that girl is ready. Duck is happy to start shootin'. Clementine is not. I ain't asking you to send her to war, I'm asking for you to bring her along to teach her a thing or two. Otherwise, I ain't comin'." Chuck interrupted. Lee knew he was right.

"Alright. Here, I'll be one second." Lee replied, handing the gun to Chuck. The man pocketed it, in all honesty it was Lee's back up with only ten bullets loaded in. They didn't have any more guns for Christa or Omid, so Lee hoped they had some on them. He made a mental note to ask later as he approached Clementine.

"So yeah, in a nutshell, our cat? He's probably pretty pissed." Omid joked, getting a giggle from Clementine while Christa poked her head up at Lee.

"I hope he's okay. I had a pet hamster but he died a couple years ago." Clementine told them. It seemed she had finally gotten happier meeting these two.

"Better than being a walker if you ask me. What's up, Lee?" Christa replied to the young girl before mentioning Lee.

"Hey guys. Clem, wanna go on a mission with Chuck and I?"

"Of course! Um, do I have to carry that gun again?"

"Nah, I'll hold onto it for now. But if you do feel ready for it, I'd like you to try and take one out." Lee explained. Clem looked a bit nervous while the couple looked at each other for a brief second.

"You got this little girl shooting guns?" Christa asked skeptically.

"Yeah, is that a problem?" Lee questioned back, raising a brow and folding his arms challengingly.

"No. It's a good thing, she should know how to protect herself. But that radio does concern me. Why is she holding onto it?" She asked Lee as Clem stood up by his side.

"It doesn't work anymore, but it means something to her." Lee answered.

"Ah, I see. Apologies, sweetie." Christa said sympathetically.

"It's okay." Clem replied with a bit of a quieter voice. Chuck appeared behind the pair and smiled down at the new folks.

"Howdy." Charles greeted, nodding at the couple.

"Sup?" Omid happily chirped back.

"We ready to head out?" Chuck asked Lee, hoisting a duffel holding his guitar around his shoulder.

"Yup. Everyone, we're heading out! If anyone comes by, hide in the train. If you see a walker, take it out quietly."

"You got it, boss." Carley nodded, giving him a smirk. "And stay safe."

"Yeah, no telling what's in there." Mark agreed. Lee nodded before walking off with the two. He didn't notice somehow that Kenny and Katjaa had been arguing in the conductors room, something they rarely did.

Upon reaching the station, Lee and Chuck began inspecting the area, looking around for any leftover supplies, live walkers or maybe a weapon or two. "Oh, that reminds me." Lee took a melee weapon, a monkey wrench in this case, from a bag he had kept after Lilly left the group and handed it to Chuck. "The gun doesn't have much ammo, so a melee weapon is always good to have. We found three in the train."

"Thanks, Lee. Too bad the girl's got no use for something so big." Chuck checked a walker corpse for any valuables, but alas found nothing. The two checked the door only to find Clementine attempting to open it.

"Hey, you can't just open random doors without someone by your side." Lee startled Clementine and she halted what she was doing.

"Sorry.." She said slowly, twiddling her thumbs.

"It's alright, just wait for me next time." Lee smiled, patting her head.

"Yeah, okay. We are a team after all."

"Exactly. Chuck, any ideas on how to open the door?"

"Hm.. Banging it down may just be too loud, and take too long. There is a window up there. The girl could fit in easily." Chuck implied Clem going through the window, which got no objections from the pair.

"You sure you're up for this?" Lee asked, kneeling down next to her.

"Yup. If I don't, we'll be stuck here." Clem gulped, steadying her breathing before being hoisted up by Lee. She poked her head inside the dark building, noticing a gate as well as the doorknob.

"You see anything, Clementine?" Chuck asked, his hands reaching to his pockets for his melee weapon.

"I can see a gate and the doorknob. I can almost reach it, actually.." She explained, reaching in a bit deeper.

"Really? Do you think you could unlock it from-" click.

"I think I opened it!" She replied, the click sound coming from the door.

"Really?" Lee was not ready for that. 'Thank god for Clem', he thought to himself.

"I think so!" Clem said excitedly, being hoisted back to the ground by her protector. He opened the door, the young Clem standing behind him. Lee took his axe out and readied himself to face anyone, human or walker. Luckily, all that was there was silence and darkness. Lee let out a sigh of relief.

"Well I'll be damned. Good job, kid." Chuck said with a smile, patting her shoulder. Clem lit up with a bright smile. Once the three entered, they realized just how dark the room was, due to the only window being so small you could barely see anything. It didn't help that the sun was near ready to set.

Chuck noticed this and propped himself against the door. "Don't worry, I'll keep it open. Y'all look around for anything useful and I'll keep an eye out for any corpses waltzing. Or any livin'."

Lee nodded and began searching. No supplies of interest were found until he looked past the gate in the middle of the building. Behind it was a blowtorch and some police tape.

"Perfect! That's exactly what we need!" Lee exclaimed, placing his hand on the cold, steel knob. He jiggled it a bit, but the door appeared locked. "Damn. Maybe there's another way in."

"There's a space between the ceiling and gate! Maybe you could hoist me up again?" Clementine suggested, pointing at the open spot in the

"Ha, good eye, Clem. Works for me. Just find the key, then unlock it as quickly as you can." Lee was amazed by how good she had been, even after this morning. He had Christa, Katjaa and Omid to thank for that, no doubt.

"Got it. We're lucky I'm so little." Clem remarked, stepping forward.

"That we are. Here." Lee helped the girl to his shoulders. Clementine slowly and carefully climbed inside and down the gate, finally getting inside the room. Suddenly, she stopped and looked frightened. Chuck and Lee both gave her awkward looks.

"Uh, what? C'mon, scoot, we gotta go before-"

"Behind you!" Clem yelled, pointing at a walker that had seemingly just gotten up from the darkness. Lee attempted to draw his pistol, but the living corpse knocked it out of his hands and began to attack the man, holding onto his wrists and attempting to chomp his neck. Lee fought him back until Chuck came towards the walker and slammed the wrench against it's skill, harming it.

"Blegh!" It growled, looking up at Chuck before receiving another smack from the wrench. Another walker stumbled in as the door closed, enveloping all three in darkness.

"Goddamnit, there's another one?" Lee asked, searching the pitch black room for a sign of the dead.

"They must have been in the darkness, damnit, I can't see a thing!" Chuck replied, swinging wildly where the noise came from. Lee ran towards the door and opened it, revealing the fat walker to be just in front of Chuck. A loud bang filled the room, a bullet speeding by and hitting the walker in its neck, sending it to the ground. Chuck then proceeded to beat it's skull in while it was down, not stopping until it no longer produced a noise. The old man panted, blood covering his face and coat. The two looked at Clementine, who was shaking violently with the gun still pointing at them.

"It's okay, it's over.. They're gone." Lee slowly approached her from behind the gate, raising his hands low. Clem gave the gun back to Lee, slouching her arms down in defeat.

"Alright, now grab the keys, they're right behind you, darling." Chuck pointed at the keys hanging on the wall, leaning back on the door. The girl grabbed them, but was halted entirely when she heard a growl come from across the room. She looked up to see a skinny walker stumbling towards her. Lee, in a panic, yelled at her. "Keys, now!" She handed him the keys within seconds after being frozen. Lee unlocked the door, wrapping an arm around her chest to protect her from the walker before pulling the trigger of the pistol, rocketing a bullet straight into its head. It died upon hitting the bullet.

Clem hugged Lee, finding solace in his arms. He put the gun back in his pocket and held her back, his axe was back in it's holder on his back. "Thank you, Lee.."

"Of course, sweetpea.. I'll always be here." He said with an assuring, sweet tone. Chuck walked behind the two and grabbed the blowtorch.

"What did we learn here?" The old man asked as Clementine exited Lee's embrace.

"That I'm not ready for a gun..?" Clem asked quietly, looking down at the floor in shame.

Choices:

A: "No, we learned to never be afraid. We're smarter than them, always will be."

B: "Yes, but you'll get better in time. Don't worry."

C: "No, we learned to always be ready. You see, they should have got us, but we got them."

D: Let Chuck give his advice.

Relationships:

Clementine is happy that she is able to rely on you. 9/10

Kenny doesn't care that you didn't pick him, he needed some time away from you anyways. 6/10

Carley is cool with you going with Chuck. She just hopes you're okay. 10/10

Mark is okay with you going with Chuck, less work for him. 10/10

Duck wanted to come with. 9/10

Katjaa seems very tense lately, partially because of you. She appreciates you not bringing Duck, though. 9/10

Chuck is happy you brought him, and by extension, Clementine along. 9/10

Ben still seems a bit off. 9/10

Omid really likes your group. He's happy he didn't have to go with you. 7/10

Christa appreciates you not dragging her along and is happy to see that you're taking good care of Clementine. 7/10

Something tells me Andy St. John is still out there.. 0/10


	50. A Traitor Revealed

Votes for last time:

A: | | | | | |

B: | |

C: | | | | | | |

D: | | | | | | | | |

Lee allowed Chuck to tell her his advice, kneeling down to the girls level and putting a rusty hand on her shoulder, placing the blowtorch down next to him. "Nah, you're ready. We learned that we should be scared of everything, don't let anything get the jump on ya. If you do.." A silence filled the room. Clem nodded her head, looking a bit nervous but overall more confident.

"I know.. I'll try to be smarter." Clem said, determination in her cute voice.

"'Atta girl." All three of them had some pretty happy smiles on, confident with themselves. Chuck got up and grabbed the blowtorch.

"Alright, everyone, let's head out. Daylight won't last for more than maybe an hour." Lee opened the door with the two partners of his behind him. Once he did, he was met face to face with a frightened Christa. "Uh.. Christa? What's wrong?"

"Lee, some crazy shit is going on back at the train. Some guy, black hair, one arm, he- he has a teenage boy hostage!"

"What!? That couldn't be.." Lee began pacing, both him and Clementine knew exactly who it was. "Shit! Where are the others?"

"They're hiding. Omid told me to come find you since I'm faster and sneakier than him.. C'mon, we need your help!" Christa pleaded. Lee nodded, looking back at Chuck and Clementine.

"You two, stand back. Stay here. When I deal with this, I'll have Carley and Mark come over and help you out. Got it?"

"O-okay, Lee.. Stay safe." Clementine whispered, looking a bit frightened.

"Good luck." Chuck added, nodding at the teacher.

Sneaking back to the train, Lee began asking Christa about the man, and vice versa. "So, we were desperate for food a couple of days ago. These guys, Andy and Danny, were brothers who lived on a dairy with their mom. They offered food for gas."

"And, like any desperate survivor, you took it?" Christa assumed, both were walking at a slow pace, reasonably scared of what was to come from the crazy cannibal.

"Yup. I decided to help out around the electric gate they had, y'know, be friendly and all. They ended up chopping off Mark's fingers while I wasn't around, and then I got shot by an arrow while on watch from the gate."

"Who shot?" She asked.

"Bandits they were feuding with. When I got back, their mother brought me to the bathroom where she was going to chop my leg off! I think they were planning on eating us.. We escaped, Kenny ended up killing the mom and the other brother died while we were gone. Walkers must have got him."

"Well, shit. I hope you can deal with him." Christa whispered. The two were approaching the train, both now in view of Andy. Christa crouched down at the head of the vehicle whilst Lee began walking towards Andy. All of Lee's suspicions of who the hostage was were true: It was Travis. Lee pointed his pistol at Andy, a fire building up inside of him.

"Hey, Andy! Looking for me?" Lee called out. The man looked in his direction and became furious.

"Lee.. Lee! I've been following the sounds of that goddamn train for way too long! Good thing y'all left your RV, otherwise, me and my friend wouldn't be able to say hello." Andy practically screamed. Travis looked weak and there was blood all over his shirt. Oddly enough, there was blood on Andy's shirt as well, like all over.

"What did you do to him?!" Lee sounded gravelly, his voice booming. His eyes looked the blue shirted teen up and down, genuine concern was left in Lee's eyes.

"He-"

"Shut the fuck up! I'll tell them. I shot him. I beat him to the ground, bruised his knuckles, and chopped off an ear. Sound familiar?" Andy kicked Travis' calf, allowing the teen to drop to his knees, tears dropping down his cheeks. Lee looked around to see who else was around. Kenny, Duck and Kat were hiding in the conductors room, Ben was still on the roof of the train, couching on his stomach and Mark and Carley were aiming their weapons at Andy from behind a few bushes. Omid had been hiding with Christa and that just left Chuck hiding out with Clem at the station. It seemed everyone else was okay.

"So that's why you're doing this, revenge? You already got Larry killed, chopped off Mark's fingers and beat me to an inch of my life, what more do you want?!" Lee screamed, an ominous sound coming from behind Andy: It sounded like groaning, very loud groaning.

"I want you to do two things for me. One, listen to the kid." Andy pointed his pistol at Travis' temple, his finger on the trigger. Lee tried to look past Andy to see the commotion but couldn't get a good look from this angle.

"Ben is a fucking trader! He traded me in so he could save his own skin! I-if he would have just handed over the bag of medicine Lilly had, everything would have been fine!" Travis screeched, shocking everyone. Lee's eyes widened and he looked up at Ben, who began aiming with his rifle at Andy who had no idea he was there.

"Alright, alright, I think they've heard enough. It's time for this to end." Andy was definitely ready to shoot the kid. "This is for Danny!" He looked genuinely evil. Lee had to act quick.

Choices:

A: Shoot Andy

B: Order Mark/Carley to shoot

C: Trade Ben for Travis and go your separate ways.

Additional vote: How do you feel about Ben?

A: I can never forgive him

B: I forgive him

C: I am indifferent.

Relationships:

Clementine likes Chuck's advice. 9/10

Kenny is counting on you not to fuck this up. 6/10

Carley is ready to kill this asshole. 10/10

Mark is counting on your leadership. 10/10

Duck is terrified, which proves your point that he needs more training. 9/10

Katjaa seems scared, but her level head will hopefully keep her fine.. Right? 9/10

Chuck is happy you let him speak his advice. 9/10

Ben is a traitor to the group. Tell the author how you feel about him to change your relationship with him. 9/10

Omid is relying on you to keep the group safe. If you mess this up, he may never want to join this group. 7/10

Christa is relying on you to keep the group safe. If you mess this up, there's no way she's staying. 7/10

Travis needs your help. He remembers what a great person you were. 9/10

Andy is awaiting your response. 0/10


	51. A Train Wreck

Lee snapped his fingers, staring directly at Carley. She aimed her gun down the sights, directed exactly at Andy. Once she had pulled the trigger, the bullet zoomed directly into Andy's skull, slapping the gun out of his hand and killing him instantly. Travis got up slowly, looking behind him with a horrified face. With Andy dead, Lee finally got a better look at all the noise in the distance. Hell, at that point the smell of the air gave it away. "Oh my god.." Lee muttered, a sea of walkers marching towards the group. "EVERYONE, IN THE TRAIN, NOW!"

The group began dashing toward the train, including Travis who was assisted by Mark and Carley. Lee looked around, panicking when he realized he left the blowtorch behind. "Lee, looking for this?" Omid asked, running towards him.

"How did you-"

"Christa took it, that's why I love her." He interrupted, smiling goofily to himself, the blowtorch being yanked from his hands.

"Thanks, now go back to the train!"

"No way! Without you, we'd still be on the road! I'm helping you!" Omid declared, sounding serious for once. Lee hesitated for a second before agreeing. The two dashed to the ladder, climbing up it as fast as they could. Upon reaching the top, they ran towards the tanker, putting down the torch and starting it up. An odd sound came from the thing and no flames came from the tip.

"Shit, there's a hole in the hose! Omid, find something to patch this hole!" Lee demanded

"Right!" Omid dashed his short legs toward a police van, opening it as quickly as he could.

"Omid, did you find anything!?" Lee asked, clearly panicked.

"Yes, gimme a minute!" Omid replied, scanning the van for anything useful. Some yellow police tape seemed to fit that bill.

"We don't have a minute, we have to go now!" It had just occurred to Lee, Chuck and Clementine were stuck inside of that building. His heart sank and he knew what he had to do. Omid ran back with some police tape, patching up the hole as quickly as possible. Lee opened the torch again, taking the fire to the tanker. It cut the material holding the vehicle together, sparks flying while Lee held his eyes shut, tears dripping down them slowly. Suddenly, he was forced backwards, landing on his ass. The tanker was close to falling but almost hit the leader in the process.

"Be careful, man. We can do this." Omid assured. It seemed as though Lee didn't hear a word he said, too busy thinking of what to do next. The tanker was a bit too far for one man to reach.

"Thanks.. Now, hurry, come here!" Lee hoisted Omid over the edge, handing him the torch.

"Are you crazy?!" The shorter man yelled.

"JUST SHUT UP AND CUT!" Lee screeched back, looking down at the walkers who were currently against the train, slamming against the closed doors.

"Okay, okay!" Omid replied nervously, closing his eyes as the tanker slowly unhinged and began collapsing. "It's going, help me up!" Lee fulfilled his request, pulling him back onto the highway just before the tanker fell. The walkers were close at this point, so Kenny just turned the train on and began moving. Omid and Lee had no other choice, walkers were already infesting where the ladder had been. Lee saw no other option.

"Over here!" Lee called, running to the other side of the highway with his new friend. The two sat on the edge of the bridge, looking down at the train from about thirty feet in the air.

"We gotta jump! Now!"

"What?! No way!" Omid shook his head frantically, way too terrified to do that.

"Fine, you stay here and we'll go with your lady!" Lee had a feeling that was a punch to the heart for the guy, and it was. Lee hopped down, landing on the train with a grunt. His leg hurt a bit but he was fine. Omid followed after, jumping down to the roof only to fall down to the dirt below.

"Ah!" Omid let out a loud scream, attracting the attention of the walkers. Christa opened the door, hearing the scream.

"Shit! Omid, hold on!" She yelled, jumping out of the train and running towards her boyfriend. Upon reaching him, she helped him up and the two began running towards the train. Oddly enough, Lee had disappeared, nowhere to be found. Christa and Omid were helped up by Mark and Carley, the latter of whom gripped Omid's wrist and stared him in the eyes with furrowed brows.

"Where's Lee? H-he didn't come in!" She yelled in his face, a scared, pained expression all over it.

"I-I don't know! He jumped on the roof, he should be either up there or in here!"

"Oh no, he must have gone after Clementine and Chuck in the station. Fuck, how the hell are we gonna know if he's okay or not?" Mark asked, not helping Carley's anger one bit.

"Look, he might be okay! That man has balls, that's for sure." Christa shot back, attempting to calm the woman down.

"Besides, Lee's smart. He'll find us, I'm sure of it. We just gotta somehow let him know where we are." Mark placed his hand on Carley's shoulder, giving her a calming look. "River street shouldn't be too hard to find. Let's worry about Omid's leg. We have some bandages from that drugstore, let's go get them."

"Yes.. Thank you." Christa nodded, watching as the two got up from their seats.

Lee slammed the door to the station, walkers were getting close but not close enough. He had to bolt it all the way here in order for them not to catch up. Chuck and Clementine were thankfully still there. "What happened?" Chuck asked, being completely ignored when Lee wrapped Clem in the tightest embrace they had ever shared, tears freely falling from his face.

"C-Clementine.. I thought I might lose you.." Lee sobbed quietly, his face looking down to the ground. The walkers were still there though, just dead now.

"N-no! We're okay.. W-why would you think that?" Clementine responded, looking at his red eyes and scratched up face.

"Shh!" Chuck shushed, crouching down as a series of moans came closer, being the loudest set he had ever heard. Everyone stayed quiet and Lee took this time to wipe the tears from his face.

"That's what I was running from." Lee whispered.

"There must be thousands.. How is everyone?" Chuck asked, obviously concerned as he sat down, going through his backpack.

"Alive. We met up with someone from our past and he had a hostage from our group, Travis. Apparently Ben sold him out to save his skin."

"Darn.. How do you feel?" Chuck asked solemnly, looking at the man's conflicted face.

"On one hand, I'm furious. Ben ratted out his only friend to save his own life. On the other hand, if he hadn't done that, we'd be short of even more supplies than we already have. Besides, I haven't heard anything from either kid since I saved them. I just hope they make it to Savannah alright." Lee answered, watching as Chuck pulled out a deck of cards.

"What are those?" Clem questioned curiously, staring at the paper in his hands.

"Poker cards. Wish we had something to bet, but it could be a fun way to pass time. What do ya say? Wanna learn how to play?"

"Sure! At least until the herd is gone." Clem replied as Lee closed off the door with a nearby desk.

"Lee? You in?" Chuck asked, ready to deal him in. Lee was leaned up against a wall, eyes closed by the time he asked.

"Nah, I'll be okay. Have fun, I need my rest." He responded, a yawn escaping his mouth. To be honest, all he could think about was Carley and Ben, how hard this must be on the two. Not to mention what traumatic memories Andy brought back for Kat, Kenny, Mark and Duck. And what about Travis? Would he even make it to Savannah? All of these thoughts led to Lee having a very restless sleep.

A couple of hours later, Chuck was the only one left, the herd basically gone with only a few walkers still passing by. Lee slowly woke up to find Clementine passed out, a drawing next to her arm. He approached her, kneeling down and grabbing the paper. It was the picture of her parents Duck had drawn. Lee frowned, hovering over her before putting it back down. "She's out like I've never seen before."

"Tough couple of nights for her. She told me all about the last couple of days. Don't worry, I'm on your side." Chuck butted in, playing with his guitar gently as to not wake Clem or alert the walkers outside. A beam of moonlight entered the room, the entire sky being pitch black aside from it.

"Thanks. You should get some rest too, old man. When did you last sleep?" Lee questioned, looking up at the rusty old guy.

"Honestly? I don't know. Been too worried about my folks most of the time or the dead gettin' the jump on me. I'll get some rest though, you're right. Thanks, Lee. You're a great leader." Chuck gave him a smile, laying back on the wooden chair he was sat in, putting his guitar back in its holster. A moment of silence filled the room, the only other sound being light breathing and the creaking of crickets. A loud static noise interrupted the calm ambience, getting the attention of both men.

"What the..?" Lee raised his brow, his mouth widening as a creepy, quiet adult male spoke.

"Can't wait for you to get to Savannah, Clementine! I got your parents right here! You be sure to find me, whether Lee wants you to or not. Now, listen-" Lee grabbed the walkie talkie where the sound was coming from with extreme anger, pressing down on the response button. Unfortunately, it was too late.

"I thought her parents were dead?" The homeless man asked in that charmingly raspy voice.

"They are. Someone's been lying to her. It makes so much sense now! That's why she recovered so fast from being told the truth. I-I don't even know what to say." Lee could feel his stomach churning on him, his fists clenching tightly and his teeth gritting.

"Looks like we're gonna have to have a chat with Clem, and get to the group before anything happens." Chuck reasoned, grabbing his stuff.

"Right. We're going now." Lee replied, nodding at Chuck's answer as he grabbed his stuff, a hard, long midnight walk ahead of them. Walkers were still outside, but Lee had an idea on how to combat that.

Relationships:

Clementine has been hiding something from you. You are not happy one bit. 8/10

Kenny is glad you made the choice that got no one killed. He was happy to watch Andy die. 7/10

Carley is very worried for you. She's glad you trust her with important decisions. 10/10

Mark is worried for you, but is staying optimistic. He's happy you made a smart choice. 10/10

Katjaa did not enjoy watching Andy die, but she prefers it over anyone else dying. 9/10

Duck was reminded of a horrible night, but is safe thanks to you. 10/10

Chuck is 100% behind you. 9/10

You are indifferent to Ben, and he is afraid of how you'll respond. 7/10

Travis is grateful you saved his life again. 10/10

Andy is finally dead. 0/10

Omid is grateful that you managed to save everyone. 8/10

Christa realizes how good of a leader you truly are. 8/10

((Hope everyone enjoyed Episode three, Long Road Ahead! It was really fun to write these last few chapters. Episode four is the longest episode so expect it to be long here as well. Russel's chapter is next, and he is my favorite of the 400 Days story so I'm very excited to write it out! Review any ideas you may have for the next couple of episodes (400 days, episode four) and I'll read em for sure! Question of the chapter: Who is your favorite character in my version of the story? Mine is actually Chuck! Very fun to write for. Special thanks to users 404, Worker72, Darkfire1220, ManHunterx, Shadow Ninja 283, sanspapyrustheskeleton, GoldManCharm and CRed 1988 for sticking around for so long and giving me ideas along the way. See you guys later for Russel's chapter!))


	52. Russel Interlude

We are one-hundred and eighty-four days into the apocalypse. A young college boy walks alongside forests, sticking close to the long road ahead of him. Earlier there were sightings of a ton of walkers coming through here, but it appears that those were just rumors. He looked down at his map, sighing a bit. "I got like.. Sixty miles left. Ain't shit." He muttered to himself, looking up at the sunset above.

"Maybe I shouldn't have taken so many cans.. Ah well, better than nothing." The boy's name was Russel, as evident by the name on his bag. Behind him he heard the sound of an engine paired with music in the distance. He looked back to find a blue truck making its way towards him.

"Shit!" He cursed to himself. These days, you can't trust anyone, so he had to think of what to do next.

Choices:

A: Hide

B: Stand your ground

((Short chapter but that's exactly why we have two uploads today. Question of the chapter: Favorite 400 days character in the actual Walking Dead game? Mine is easily Nate followed by Wyatt. Review and vote, I'll see you all next vote.))


	53. Riders on the Storm

Russel decided that hiding would just make him look dangerous, and in these parts if you're a threat you're bound to get shot. He stopped in his tracks, looking directly at the truck. A light was out on one of the headlights. The truck pulled up next to him, the music making direct contact with the traveler. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, the driver was a white middle aged male with a trucker cap and blue jacket on.

"Howdy." The man greeted him, he possessed a gravelly voice.

"Uh.. Hey." Russel awkwardly replied, looking down from the stranger.

"Kid, you must be either completely stupid, or have a death wish. Either way, I like the cut of your jib." He grinned at the dark skinned teen, picking his nose a bit before unlocking the car.

"Look, man, I don't want any trouble." Russel held his hands up, looking around the man instead of at him. The stranger noticed his nervous look.

"Hey, calm down, kid, I ain't some freak or killer. I ain't gonna kidnap and molest you or nothin'" The middle aged man clarified. "My name's Nate. What's yours, pal?"

"Uh.. Russel." He replied hesitantly, watching as Nate brought his hand forward for a handshake.

"You sure? I guess that means you didn't steal that bag there." Nate joked, staring down at the lad's unmoving arm. "Rus', I'm just messin' with ya. Now get in."

"What?" Russel backed away nervously, afraid that Nate would attempt to kidnap and murder him or something.

"Easy, I don't wanna kill ya. I'm bored and you're gonna die out here. So, c'mon." Nate offered, looking around at the near empty street. Walkers were bound to show up eventually, hell they already had a few days earlier.

"Can you take me to Statesboro? I got a grandma up there, I need to check up on my folks." Russel asked, considering the idea. It would be way faster to just take this ride.. But what about the risks?

"Shit, she like to party? Hell yeah I can take us there." Nate replied easily, checking the glovebox for something.

"And you swear you're not a killer or thief..?" He questioned, his hand lingering over the door handle.

"C'mon, if I wanted to kill you, I would have run you down already. If I wanted to steal from ya, I would have shot you by now. I ain't trouble, I just want some company. I'm a good guy, y'know?" He let out a smirk, a devilish smirk. At this point though, Russel could feel his feet swelling up from how much walking he had done, not to mention his golden ticket was sitting right there, even if it was creepy and smelly. Russel opened the door and sat down, closing it behind him.

"Thata boy, Rus! Oh, hold onto your ass, seat belts broken." Nate warned, beginning to speed across the road, a few walkers peering from the trees behind the car. Looks like he really did dodge a bullet. Loud rock music filled the car, making Russel feel uncomfortable but also a bit soothed in the presence of Nate. The guy had creepy written all over him and the music distracted from that a little bit. "So.. Kid, tell me your story. You ever been in any groups before? Maybe have to kill a few guys?"

"Well, I've never had to kill but I've been in a group that was.. Rather comfortable killing." He said slowly, thinking back to unpleasant thoughts.

"Tell me about what happened, I'm all ears, no judgement." Nate smiled genuinely, pulling out a flask from his jacket pocket before sipping it, turning down the rock music a touch.

"Right.. So, this whole thing hit when I was back at school, away from family and all. Went to a university, you know. The teachers were real smart about stuff, let us have food, water and medicine as we left for our families. I heard not many of them lived but they sure as hell helped me. A-anyways, I ran into this group that seemed pretty smart. There were two country boys, one dumber than the other. An old guy and his sister, smartest in the group if you were to ask me. A Spanish dude and his daughter she was about, what fourteen? Uh, and then there was a teacher and his wife, and a balding guy with an accent. Finally, the leader of the group, his name was Bill but everyone called him Steve."

"Go back to the daughter." Nate pervertedly asked, chugging booze. Russel ignored his question.

"Steve was a bad dude. He let me into his group for a while but after a couple of months I realized how bad of an idea it was to stay. He used to tell us that nine was the magic number, and if we added anyone else we'd be cursed. So.. Whenever we met a struggling survivor, or- or a group of survivors, he'd.. He'd.." Russel struggled, shaking his head at his former leader.

"Let it out, paco." Nate reassured, giving him a sympathetic look.

"He'd say, 'are we gonna kill these folks and take all their stuff or what?!' and then bang! That was it.." Russel stared down at the floor, a frown now present on his face. "Anyways, I snuck away after that. Haven't seen em' since."

"So… No one got down with the daughter then?" Nate asked rudely, sipping from the flask once more.

"What?! Fuck no! That's gross!" Russel yelled back, rolling his eyes and folding his arms whilst looking out the window.

"Hey, Rus'.. C'mon, I didn't mean it. This apocalypse just gets ya blue balled ninety percent of the time. I mean, clearly you're still a virgin." Russel exchanged a glare with the man as Nate turned the music back up. "I'm joking! Jesus.. Here, maybe this'll lighten you up." The older man offered his flask to him. Russel looked down for a few seconds at the drink before carefully taking it.

"R-right.. Thanks." He cracked open the bottle, the smell of rancid moonshine hitting his nose. "Ugh.. What is this?" He asked, letting out a few coughs.

"Alcohol. I don't fucking know, it's whiskey, it numbs the pain. Who gives a shit what it is?" Nate replied, scanning the road before smiling when he noticed a female walker. Russel drank the concoction but spit it back out when it made contact with his taste buds, passing it back to Nate. "Okay, maybe somebody so innocent." Nate stepped on the brakes next to the zombified husk of a woman, rolling down the windows and blaring the rock music, drums and guitars alerting the hunger filled walker to the two. It grabbed Russel's arm and attempted to bite him.

"AH! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!" Russel screamed, tugging his arm away with everything in him.

"C'MON, RUS', WHATYYA THINK? SHE WAS SLAMMIN' BEFORE SHE ROTTED, RIGHT?" Nate yelled back, the widest, shit eating grin plastered on his face.

"FUCK, HELP!" Russel screeched back.

"COME ON, RATE HER! A FIVE AT LEAST, RIGHT?!"

"TEN, OKAY? TEN YOU PSYCHO!" Russel confirmed, looking back at Nate for help.

"Thatta boy, Rus'!" Nate congratulated, pulling out a short pistol and aiming it towards the dead woman's head, clicking the trigger. "Shit!" He exclaimed once realizing that it was out of ammo. Nate slammed his foot back on the pedal, tossing the walker off of the truck and narrowly saving Russel. He passed the boy the gun as a new song came on, Riders on the Storm by The Doors. "Here, load that. Should be some bullets in the glovebox."

Three hours later, Russel had been silent, mostly pissed at Nate. He loaded the guns with bullets and spoke once afterwards, asking if he could use the bathroom. After that, they didn't exchange any more words until Nate pulled into a gas station. "Hey, Rus'? I'm gonna stop for some food and other supplies, keep the car warm for me, kid." Nate explained, getting the cold shoulder in response. "Ah, don't be such a pussy, you'll be fine."

"Look, I-" Russel was interrupted when a bullet zoomed past the window, nearly blasting the teenagers head off.

"Oh shit, Rus'! Go, get the fuck out!" Nate demanded, opening his door and jumping out, sprinting to a nearby abandoned truck. Russel jumped out as well, dashing towards a gas pump.

"Rus'! You don't wanna be there, trust me!" Nate yelled.

"Y-yeah.." Russel yelled back, his voice shaky as memories of the past came rushing back.

"Here, run over I'll cover you!" Nate revealed the pistol from earlier, loading it up.

"Okay.. Okay!" He replied, ducking his head before making a run for it. Sniper bullets rocketed towards the teen, but he managed to dodge them all, finally making it back. Nate did not keep his word. "What happened to 'I'll cover you!?'" Russel shouted, glaring daggers at Nate.

"Look how good you did!"

"We're fucked.. I should have never come with you."

"Hey, Rus' don't talk like that. We can make this. Think about it, if I hadn't saved your ass back there, where would you be dead? You'd be on the road, either dead or bitten. Now c'mon, we can do this, all we gotta do is sneak all the way back to that gas station and sneak up on the fucker who's shooting at us! Got it?" Nate pumped up the boy, attempting to at least get him to understand that they aren't entirely fucked yet.

"I.. I guess." Russel muttered, shaking his head lightly.

"Good. C'mon, let's push this truck for cover. Ready? One, two, three!" The two began pushing, the truck slowly moving along with their shoves. A bullet collided with one of the exposed tires, causing it to flatten.

"Shit, harder, Rus'!" Nate yelled back, both men pushing as hard as they could. For a couple of seconds, they actually managed to push the truck quite far. Then, another bullet collided with the second exposed tire, making the truck too heavy.

"..Ah! End of the road." Nate sighed, looking to their next cover, an abandoned sedan. "Alright, look, Russel, over there is our next cover. What I need you to do is trust me. We gotta run all the way over there. You can cover me first, or if it makes you more comfortable, I can cover you first."

"I'll cover you, don't worry." Russel nodded, grabbing the gun from Nate's hands.

"Alright, thanks." Nate smiled genuinely for the first time today, getting into position to run. "Go!" He called, running towards cover. Russel shot at the window of the gas station, breaking the glass but doing nothing else to his knowledge otherwise. Nate made it over, narrowly dodging a few speeding bullets.

"Catch!" Russel called, throwing the gun over to Nate, who caught it, just barely. "You're gonna cover me, right?" Russel asked, his voice beginning to quake again.

"Of course! I'm sorry for the first time, okay? I got you, you're my boy, Russel!" The older man yelled back, readying his gun.

"I believe you.. Shit, what am I doing?" Russel asked himself before hustling his ass all the way to the sedan.

"Great job, bud. Great job. Now, there's the wall. All we gotta do is make a run for it." Nate pointed towards the wall of the building, readying his gun once again.

"Got it, I'll go, you cover." Russel nodded, a smirk now on his face.

"Don't get cocky yet, kid. Now, go!" Nate ordered, covering Russel for a second before watching him trip to the ground. Out of sheer panic, Nate ran towards the boy and grabbed him, saving him and covering the two of them against the wall just before a sniper bullet hit the floor he was previously lying on.

"Holy shit.. You saved my life."

"We ain't out of the woods yet, Rus'. C'mon." Nate felt like somebody, like he actually had finally found a friend. Russel followed him closely, hopping a fence that led to the back of the gas station. Turns out, it was also a diner. On the way to the door, Russel found a walker lying on the ground, barely able to move with an ice pick in it's eye. He cringed at its existence, halting himself and Nate.

"Russel, it's dead." Nate coldly stated, folding his arms, the gun still in his hand. Russel ignored him, pressing his foot down on the walker's skull to ensure it's death, putting the creature out of its misery. "That make you feel like a big man now? Come on before whoever is in there catches onto us." The two made their way inside, crouching down whilst closing the door very gently behind them.

"Follow me, quietly." Nate whispered, putting a finger over his lips. Russel nodded, following Nate's silent footsteps as they entered the diner portion of the pit stop, where the shooter was hiding out. Nate got up quickly and punched the attacker in the face, stealing his rifle. It was an old man..

"Walt! Ow…" And an old woman! The woman had a gunshot wound to her stomach while her husband was bleeding from his nose.

"Get the fuck outta here ya monsters!" Walt demanded, clutching his face. Russel looked very conflicted while Nate looked furious.

"Woah, gramps, calm down. You shot at us." Nate spoke over the old man, trying to make his voice appear louder.

"You think you can just leave your mask at home? A-and now you're with this fuckin' spook!" The man yelled back, furrowing his brows as if he were trying to kill Nate with stares alone.

"Woah, watch the fuckin' racism! This is my boy. Second of all, I don't know who the fuck you people are. Thirdly, you tried to kill us for no goddamn reason, so I think you deserve to die in return." Nate coldly stated, throwing the rifle to the ground and grabbing his pistol, aiming directly at the man.

"Please, just get the fuck out of here. Please go." The old man begged.

"Whatddya say, Rus'? Should we kill these folks and take all their stuff?" Nate had the evilest grin Russel had ever seen. Carver may have been bad, but he never enjoyed killing, he only did it because in his sick head he thought it would keep them seemed to want to kill just because he could and would. Russel had to make a decision, he couldn't just stand here.. Could he?

Choices:

A: Agree with Nate

B: Take the gun away from him.

C: Walk out.

Relationships:

Nate is happy to finally have a friend. He is very attached at this point. 9/10

The old couple obviously don't like you. 1/10

((Question of the chapter: For Lee's relationships, would you guys rather have Lee stay loyal to one girl (I.E. Carley) or have a harem and be able to get with anyone he wants, including Molly. Obviously, there would be drama. Tell me what you think and I'll see you next time!))


	54. Nate's Wrathful Side and Alt Choices

((Choice results:

A: | | | | | | | | | |

B: | | | |

C: | | | | | | | | |

As for the harem, I'll most likely not have one. Thank you for your votes, onto the chapter!))

Russel stood there, shocked at hearing those words coming from his fast friend's mouth. It sickened him, made him want to run away or help the couple, but.. Instead he nodded. "Uh-huh.. Ye-yeah..?" He didn't know what he was thinking, the words just slipped out of his shaky lips. This was enough for Nate though, as he aimed at the old man and shot him square in the heart. The old woman let out a shriek before being shot in the same place. Russel was shaking, trying to form words.

"W-wh..-what.. Why.." Russel struggled, his breathing becoming rugged and strained as Nate walked into a supply closet.

"Damn, look at all this stuff! Worth dodgin' some bullets." Nate exclaimed, grabbing a ton of cans, water and ammunition before slipping it all in his bag. The middle aged killer looked toward the near hyperventilating Russel and gave him a creepy smile. "Hey, relax, Rus'.. You're my boy. Let's go."

Relationships:

Nate is glad you did not resist. 9/10

((And that is a wrap for episode three, Long Road Ahead as well as Russel's Story! Now, let's take a look at some alternative choices!

Chapter 37 - Romance Lilly or not?

You guys voted to romance Lilly which led to her leaving the group so she didn't lose another loved one. If you had gone to bed, Lilly would have reluctantly stayed with the group and you'd have the option to romance her later if Carley was not romanced previously.

Chapter 38 - Should I stay or should I go?

You guys had foresight and decided to leave the motor inn in search of a boat in Savannah. If you had chosen to stay, we would have time skipped to nine days later where episode three truly starts off. You'd also lose more points with Kenny. If you had gone to Hershe's, you would have learned that Hershel had met with Rick's group and left the farm to Danny, Justin, Wyatt and Eddie. The four would join your group if you decided to bring them with you along with their supplies.

Chapter 39 - Lee's past.

You guys chose for Lee to tell people, which allowed for Carlee to become a thing. It also increased your relationship with those you told. If you hadn't Carlee would not happen and Carley would expose you at some point, bringing your relationships down considerably.

Chapter 40 - Carlee or no Carlee?

This one is obvious. If you chose no Carlee, Lee and Carley would have stayed as just friends.

Chapter 41 - The woman in the street

You guys were cruel but smart and used the woman as bait. If you had shot her, that would have given you less time, meaning less supplies, aaaand Mark would end up bitten. So, dodged a bullet there.

Chapter 42 - A difficult subject

You guys were very blunt with Clem, resulting in her dropping a ton of points. If you had lied to her, no points would be lost and the game would go as canon would. If you had said no, even more points would be lost than if you had simply stated that they're dead, she'd think you didn't care at all and drop down to a 4/10.

Chapter 43 - Reconfirming Clem's parents

You guys stood your ground and went with the thought of Clem's parents being dead. If you had lied to her, she would have believed you and your relationship would have gone up.

Chapter 44 - Which to talk to first?

This one was a bit odd but basically whichever one got the most votes got you more points with whichever character the choices were associated with.

Chapter 45 - Teaching the kids to shoot

You guys agreed with Chuck, training both kids how to shoot but lowering your relationships with Kenny and Katjaa in the process. If you had agreed with Kenny, both Clem and Duck would still be clueless, but Kenny and Kat would appreciate you siding with them while your relationship with Chuck would tank. Saying yes to only Clem would result in Kenny and Kat both becoming much calmer, whilst Duck remains inexperienced.

Chapter 46 - Choosing the plan

Whichever plan you go with will be Clementine's plan for in case either you A. Die, or B. the plan goes to hell. If you go against with what you choose later, she may be suspicious

Chapter 47 - Meeting Christa and Omid

You guys were completely honest with the pair, earning you relationship points. If you had told them to mind their own business, your relationship with them would have gone down incredibly or at least to 4/10. If you had just told them you met Clem when this all started, relationships will not change.

Chapter 48 - Choosing who to take with you

This basically just set up whoever followed you to the train station. Some characters could have died or been bitten here but I won't explicitly tell anyone unless they wanna know. If so, PM me. Taking no one would just be like canon.

Chapter 49 - Advice for Clem

Whatever you say here ( or in this case, what Chuck said) Clementine will learn. She'll take that advice to heart.

Chapter 50 - Shooting Andy would have Lee accidentally shoot the man's neck, making it so that Andy can get an easy kill on Travis before dying. Trading Ben would get both Katjaa and Travis killed, as Katjaa becomes infuriated by your recent disgusting behavior and goes insane, ending with Andy putting a bullet in her and Travis before getting shot by Kenny, several times.

Chapter 52 - Russel's story

If you guys chose to hide, Russel would act a lot more resentful and angry towards Nate rather than passive and friendly.

Chapter 53 - Nate's A Mad Man

Grabbing the gun away from Nate would lead to Nate shooting Russel, then the couple before the scene ends. Walking out is basically how it is in canon with Russel leaving as Nate shoots the old couple before the two go their separate ways.

And that's it! See you all later for episode four's beginning! Question of the chapter: Which choice would you have liked to do the most now knowing the outcomes?))


	55. Around Every Corner

It was currently morning, Lee, Clem and Chuck walked around roaming walkers with black blood and guts all over them. An idea Chuck thought of was to drench himself in walker blood in case they couldn't tell the difference. It had taken them hours of walking, but they were finally at the train, away from most walkers. Clementine let out a sigh of relief before looking at her walkie talkie in Lee's pocket.

"Can't I just hold it?" Clem asked, her voice shy and timid.

"No. I'm sorry, Clem, but you can't be trusted with this. Someone might be following the group into Savannah." Lee replied sternly, climbing onto the empty train to check for any supplies he left. "Damn, they must have taken it with them."

"Maybe we should take a break. We been walkin' for hours." Chuck suggested, laying against his old bed. Blood was around some of the floor, must be Travis and Omid.

"Yeah.. You're right. Ten minutes, then we're going to Savannah. Kenny would probably bring everyone to River Street, so that's where we'll go." Lee decided, sitting down against the entrance to the first box car. Clem sat down against a corner, folding her arms in solidarity. It was going to be a long walk.

(You are now Mark)

The group had just narrowly escaped a walker attack, and were now in the backyard of some mansion. A bell alerted the walkers to their position, and they barely escaped with their lives. Ben was binded by a rope to his wrists. "Motherfucker.. That was way too close!" Kenny exclaimed, pacing around the yard.

"Alright, we should stay here. Lee, Clem and Chuck have gotta be coming soon." Mark suggested.

"We can't just sit here and wait for Lee! There's someone here ringing bells to kill us! What we should be doing is waitin' for the herd to pass, then grab a boat." Kenny argued.

"Well they're not going to go away if you keep on screaming!" Christa whispered, the sound of growling fading from the gate after a minute or so.

"Yes, please, Ken.. We need to calm down." Katjaa agreed, sitting down next to an anxious Duck. Kat didn't want her gun, but wouldn't give it to her son in a million years.

"Y-yeah, dude.. Can't we just focus on getting Travis and I inside?" Omid asked, hissing in pain at his cut.

"Y-yeah.. Calm down, Kenny." Travis added, reminding Kenny of why he was so pissed in the first place. He turned to Ben who leaned against the wall and began walking toward him.

"Alright, we get inside, right? Then this shitbird sells one of us out? Then what, is Lee still the most of our worries then?" Kenny questioned, poking a finger into Ben's chest.

"Hey, I-I didn't want to do it! I did it for the sake of the group!" Ben squeaked, getting glares from Kenny and Travis.

"He's right. Kenny, you're being dramatic, Ben wouldn't do that again." Carley stepped in front of the lanky teen, body blocking him to spare him from Kenny's wrath. The man had been violent with members of the group in the past after all and she didn't want another Larry situation.

"I'm right here, y'know.." Ben muttered, getting sympathetic looks from those who still supported him.

"Doesn't mean we have to treat you like one of us." Kenny cruelly responded.

"GUYS. Easy. Kenny, what do you think we should do?"

"I think we should leave Ben's ass for the walkers. That way, we all get to have peace of mind."

"Do you hear yourself?!" Katjaa asked, completely bewildered by Kenny's call.

"W-wait, you guys can't! P-please, I was doing it for the sake of the group!" Ben defended, tears swelling in his eyes.

"This is madness, stop!" Carley yelled over the voices. She took a deep breath, everyone's eyes on her. "What would Lee have us do? He'd make a vote."

"Why do we have to do it his way?! He ain't even here!" Kenny shot back before understanding why she'd say that. "Oooh, I see. You think your boyfriend is the only one who can be smart around here, huh? You think that-"

"GUYS. We can vote in a second. First, let's focus on getting inside so we can patch up Travis and Omid. Okay?" Mark calmed everyone down quickly, the walkers were still lingering outside but most were leaving.

"Whatever.." Kenny shook his head, walking over to the door to try and find a way in. After a few seconds of searching, Mark found a locked pet door.

"If only we had Clementine.." Mark whispered, kicking the locked door.

"Maybe I could fit through?" Duck asked, getting close to the door. Katjaa followed him closely.

"Absolutely not! We can find another way." Katjaa whisper shouted, her blonde brows furrowing angrily.

"Mom, I'm sorry, but I have to. I mean, can you fit in there?" Duck asked rhetorically.

"Excuse me?" She sounded offended by his comment.

"That's not what I meant! I uh.. Just wanna be responsible." Duck replied, twiddling his thumbs.

"It's either that or we get goin'. Your choice." Kenny said to no one in particular. Mark felt like Kenny was too corrupt to be a leader, so the military man thought he could decide for everyone. They'd most likely agree with him.. Right?

Choices:

A: Hide out in the mansion

B: Head for River Street

Relationships (Lee):

Clementine knows how disappointed you are at her. 7/10

Chuck thinks you're doing a fine job at raising Clem. 9/10

Kenny is happy you dealt with Andy, but still isn't sure of you. 7/10

Carley misses you dearly. 10/10

Mark is here in your absence, ready to handle anything that comes to the group. 10/10

Omid is grateful for you saving him and Christa, but still very worried about you. 7/10

Christa is grateful as well, but REALLY wants you back. 7/10

Katjaa still believes you are a good man. 9/10

Duck thinks you're one cool leader and prefers you over his loud dad. 10/10

Ben is scared for his life. 7/10

Travis is still grateful you've saved him so many times. 10/10

There's a man on the walkie talkie Clementine owns.. They don't seem friendly. 3/10


	56. Ben's Fate

Mark tried opening the pet door, but for some reason a red light flashed and the door stayed closed. "We have no choice. We have to stay here. We'll find a way in." Omid noticed that Mark was struggling with the door. "It's locked?"

"Who the hell ever heard of a locked doggy door?" Kenny asked, frustration caged behind his voice.

"I have. My neighbor had one just like that. A dog wears a collar with a chip in it, so the door only opens if the collar is close." Omid explained, causing Kenny to eyeroll.

"Well shit, every day's a school day."

"So.. Where's the dog?" Travis asked, everyone looking around to see no sign of a furry animal pet. Just a grave. Mark got a grim idea.

"It might be over there.." Mark sighed, pointing at the tomb cluttered over dirt.

"The dog house? Yeah, that is pretty obvious." Omid said, a smirk on his face.

"Not the dog house.. The grave." Mark picked up a nearby shovel and began digging, the smell getting worse by the second.

"Ducky, look away, honey.." Katjaa demanded sweetly, grabbing his shoulder.

"Why? What's in there..?" Duck asked carefully, unable to look away from the man shoveling away at the dirt.

"Just.. It's not good." Kat replied, forcefully shielding him away from the sight before it was too late. Duck rolled his eyes, looking towards the wall with spite in his glare. That was a new look.

Mark dug up the dog's carcass, the smell of an old, skinned corpse hitting the survivors nose. "Oh my god, that smell.." Carley gagged, standing over Mark's shoulder. He tried to grab it by the collar to avoid touching it's 'skin' or lack thereof.

"Ugh, I can't get the collar off." Mark sounded just as disgusted, and almost puked when the dog's head flimsily fell off of its body.

"That's sick!" Travis choked out. Christa had a much stronger reaction, vomiting in a bush. When she recovered, she saw everyone staring at her. "W-what? It's just the smell.." She panted, wiping her mouth. Mark grabbed the collar and stood up, walking towards the door before activating the doggy door.

"Finally. Duck, you need to do this, in and out. Do you hear me?" Kenny asked sternly, folding his arms like an upset parent in front of Duck.

"Aye aye!" Duck replied, rushing to the door.

"Ducky.. You don't have to do this." Katjaa said slowly, putting a hand on his head.

"Yeah, I do mom! They need me. I'll be back soon!" He assured, getting on his knees before crawling inside the house. Everyone but Omid, Christa, Ben and Travis crowded around the door, awaiting the ten year old's return. Eventually, the door opened and Duck stood on the other end with a proud smile. "Boom! C'mon!"

The group came inside, peaking around to check if no one was here. Luckily, no one was. "Alright, the coast seems to be clear. Now, we need a plan for who's going to be in charge while Lee is gone." Kenny said after looking around the living room and kitchen of the mansion.

"I hope you're not suggesting yourself." Christa bluntly spoke, laying Omid down on the couch. Kenny glared at the two.

"Ah, thanks, babe.. Happy to be off my feet." Omid replied to his girlfriend.

"Of course. You need to rest." Christa smiled back, kissing his forehead.

"I think Carley should lead in Lee's absence. She is closest to him, she's smart, she is currently holding our supplies and is trustworthy." Mark suggested, getting mostly nods and voices of approval from the group.

"Really? Thanks, Mark. We should probably search the house first before we do anything else, check upstairs, the spare rooms." Carley was already starting it seemed, pacing around the room while ideas soured through her head.

"No, first things first is taking shitbird here out of the house. If Lee were here, he'd want us to vote on this scumbags fate." Kenny grabbed Ben's arm and looked toward the brunette.

"He's got a point.. We can't just leave Ben alone." Carley didn't like Kenny's attitude, but Ben was a traitor, and Lee would have had him delt with.

"Guys, please, I told you, I would never betray the group again!" Ben pleaded, getting a tighter grip from the husband.

"Bullshit, keep your mouth shut, traitor." Kenny shouted loudly, causing Katjaa to turn away.

"I can't take this anymore." She blurted out before speed walking upstairs. Kenny said nothing but left Ben anyways.

"I'll check up on her. I vote to kick this fucker out, the rest of you can vote on what you want." Kenny voted before heading upstairs, his fists turning to calm palms.

"I vote him out, if it wasn't obvious." Travis easily said.

"Travis, please-" Ben tried to speak, but was cut off as Travis limped toward him.

"No, fuck you, Ben! You're supposed to be my best friend, but you sold me out instead!" The teen cut him off as he collapsed to the couch.

"Andy would have killed me instead!" Ben defended, struggling from his binds. His rifle was given to Mark instead.

"Well, it's a good thing we know how selfish you really are." Travis coldly stated, resting his foot on the table sat in the middle of the loveseats. Omid was fast asleep already.

"I vote to keep him! People should be forgiven, right?" Duck spoke for the teen, getting odd looks from most of the group due to his age.

"Are we really counting his vote?" Mark whispered to Carley.

"Duck, your opinion matters. If Lee were here I'm sure he'd count your vote. I vote for Ben to stay too." Carley gave the boy a smile while Ben let out a sigh of relief.

"Well, I'm sorry but I vote we leave him. Ben, you put the group at risk, and I can't let you risk hurting Omid and I too." Christa added, her eyes directed directly in the kids.

"Mark, you're the swing vote. Katjaa is in no state to vote and Omid is out cold." Carley notified, putting pressure on the young man.

"Please, Mark, let me stay. I won't ever do it again." Ben begged, fear in his eyes at the thought of being kicked out into a walker infested Savannah. Mark began pacing, his face in his palms. Usually he'd be quick to save Ben but now? This was quite the dilemma.

Choices:

A: Kick Ben out

B: Ben deserves to stay.

Relationships (Lee):

Clementine hopes you forgive her soon. She still believes her parents are out there. 7/10

Kenny wishes you were here as he doesn't really like Carley. 7/10

Carley misses you dearly. 10/10

Mark misses you as well, wishing you were here to lead the group out of these tough spots. 10/10

Duck likes that you're gone a bit, it gives him a chance to shine without Clementine one upping him. 10/10

Chuck is happy to be by your side. 9/10

Katjaa wishes you were here. 9/10

Omid hopes you and Clem are okay. 7/10

Christa hopes you're taking good care of Clem. 7/10

Travis is grateful you saved him. 10/10

Ben is terrified. He knows you'd give him a second chance. 7/10

There's a man on the radio after Clem, he doesn't seem friendly. 3/10

((Question of the chapter, do you like Ben in the actual walking dead canon?))


	57. The Plan

"I vote Ben stays with us. Sure, he's screwed up in the past, but kicking someone out of the group during these times and at this place is just cruel. Not only that, but Ben can redeem himself. He can be useful. Besides, do you think Lee would really want some poor kid thrown out of the group without his knowing? It's just morally right." Mark explained, saving Ben from eviction, death or worse.

"Thank you, thank you so much, Mark. I swear, I'll try to do right by all of you." Ben stared at Travis as he spoke the last of his words, making the other teen conflicted in how he thought. Carley walked up to him and removed his binds.

"Then it's decided. You get to stay. Just please try not to do anything like that again." Carley sternly, taking a step back from him.

"If you do, you're definitely out, and we don't want that." Mark added, sitting down on the couch after pacing tirelessly.

"Thank you, again. I understand. It will never happen a-" Ben was interrupted when a gunshot rung through the house.

"NO!" Kenny's voice boomed from upstairs, causing everyone in the living room (aside from Omid who is still unconscious) to peak up at the stairs, fear in their eyes. Mark and Carley stood up.

"Let's go. Christa, protect the boys at all costs." Carley ordered, running up the stairs, both with guns in their hands.

"Got it." Christa nodded, pulling out a pistol, watching Duck, Travis and Ben while cradling Omid's head in her lap. Mark and Carley continued running until they reached the second floor, where another set of stairs leading to the attic met them.

"Who should go up first?" Mark asked quietly, the sounds of sobbing coming from upstairs putting the two off entirely.

"I'll go, you stay right behind me." Carley answered, beginning to climb the sturdy ladder of stairs up.

"Right." Mark replied, getting into position. Once Carley reached the attic she let out a gasp.

"Oh my god.. W-what, what happened?!" She choked out, a hand over her lips. Mark rushed up the stairs, standing upright before an awful smell hit his nostrils. He recoiled with a grunt before his eyes met with Katjaa, dead on the ground, blood pouring from a hole in her temple, a gun resting in her right hand whilst a sobbing Kenny lingered over her.

"Kat, Kat, Katjaa? Honey.. Oh fucking god.." Kenny sobbed, burying his head in her blood soaked jacket. Kenny was also covered in blood, her blood. A few feet away from them was a zombified child with short brown hair and a malnourished frame. His bones stuck out from his ribs, his eyes pale, freckles dotting his cheeks. It was horrible.

"Kenny, a-are you okay? What happened?" Mark said carefully, slowly approaching the man.

"She.. Sh-she.. She just… Oh, oh fuck.." He could barely speak, his speech being cut out by sniffles and tears, his voice already broken and squeakish. He swept his fingers across her face, closing his wife's eyes as his own leaked salty tears. Kenny slowly got up, holding her gun in his hand whilst looking down at the young boy in front of them, clawing across the floor for food.

"T-the kid.. I-it.. I-it did her in… She was- she was already under a lot of stress. T-the boy looks like Duck.." That was all he was able to squeak out before bursting into tears again.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of it. Ben is here to stay, but you should go get some rest. Go to one of the bedrooms and take a nap." Carley said, taking her glock and aiming at the kid with a wince in her face.

"Y-yeah.. O-okay… Just.. Bury my wife? Please?" Kenny begged, tears dropping to the floor below him.

"Of course, I'll get right on it." Mark confirmed, picking up the deceased woman from the ground. Kenny shakily nodded, barely whispering a thank you as he left the attic. Mark left shortly after, another gunshot going off as he left for the stairs.

Everyone saw the body, including Duck. He was horrified, immediately cowering into a ball and sobbing away. Mark almost cried for the boy as well, but managed to keep his cool. "Was it a murder..?" Christa asked quietly.

"No.. No, she.. Gave up." Mark answered, opening the front door. Carley was downstairs in no time, the young boy in her arms.

"Oh.." Was all she managed to say. She looked down at herself and cuddled Omid closer.

The two were outside, putting Katjaa and the boy in the same grave as the boy's dog. Mark grabbed a shovel and began shoveling dirt on them whilst Carley watched next to him. The two were silent, not speaking a single word to each other, both still shocked from what they had seen. By the time Mark was done, it had become windy and cloudy, walkers were actually mostly gone from the outside of the gates. Whilst observing these changes, Mark noticed something, a figure.. Too dark to see who it was though. He touched Carley's shoulder when he noticed and pointed at the man. Upon realizing they saw him, he sprinted out of the scene.

"Hey, come back!" Carley yelled to the stalker, pressing her hands against the gate. "Who are you!?"

"Carley, calm down.. We need to take a break. Maybe we're just seeing things." Mark said in an effort to make himself feel better. A stalker is the last thing they need.

"Doubtful we both saw the same thing, Mark. Let's go inside, we can wait for Kenny to recover while we rest. Then, we should scope out River street once he wakes up."

"And then?" Mark asked, his voice shaky from the startling event of seeing a stalker.

"We wait for Lee." Carley stated determinately.

"Well.. What if Lee doesn't show?" Mark questioned, following her inside. Carley stopped in her tracks and formed fists, her gun now in her back pocket. She tilted herself around and stared at Mark. He looked pale, sick. Then again, so did she.

"He will. He has to. Let's not worry, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, let's search the house from top to bottom." Carley demanded calmly, walking away to the foyer.

Lee, Chuck and Clementine had finally made it to Savannah, traversing the streets. They had no idea where they were, somewhere on a street near a school. They decided to avoid it in case someone was staying there who wasn't friendly. Chuck knew Savannah a bit but he had no idea where River street was. "So.. Do we have any idea where we're going?" The old man asked.

"Nope. I'm trying to think of where they could be aside from River street, but every place we've been to is abandoned." Lee sounded frustrated, scanning the area for even a sign of life.

"What about the bells? They've been ringing a couple of times." Clementine suggested, looking up at one of the bell towers.

"Doubtful. There would be no way or reason for us to ring any bells." Lee shook his head, taking out the last piece of food the three had left, a bag of chips. The rest of the food was with Carley. He sighed, hoping they were okay.

CUUUUR. The radio blasted Lee's hip with static, vibrating against him. He grabbed the device and held it to his ear. "Hello? Who is this?" The leader asked, his voice intimidatingly loud yet quiet.

"That doesn't concern you. What should concern you is that I know where your group is." The stranger spoke raspily, causing Lee to immediately become panicked and angry.

"Tell me, now! You better not hurt them you son of a-" Chuck placed a hand over Lee's mouth, which was now becoming a bit too loud for safety.

"Lee, hold your horses. We're in the middle of an infected city. Keep your cool." Chuck soothed the man, slowly taking away his dusty hand from Lee's mouth.

"Listen to your friend. I'll tell you where they are, just give me the girl." The voice demanded.

"No way in hell." Lee replied. Clementine looked scared, ashamed.

"Fine. Have it your way." CURRRR. The radio went dead silent. Lee held it to his forehead, feeling like falling to the ground and crying. He didn't though, putting the walkie back in his pocket.

"They're here, in Savannah. We have to go. Stay alert you two." Lee ordered. Clementine didn't respond whilst Chuck gave him a confident nod.

An hour after Katjaa's suicide, Ben came up to Kenny's room with a bottle of wine and dinner, canned corn. "Heya, Kenny.. You awake?" He asked, softly closing the door. The fisherman groggily awoke, his eyes stained and baggy, puffy and red.

"Y-yeah.. What do you want?" He muttered, looking up at the teen with anger seething behind a strained and tired face.

"I wanted you to eat. I also wanted to say I'm sorry. I apologized to everyone else so.. Um, I also got you this." The teen gave him a large bottle of wine, unopened and fresh. Kenny looked at it for a few seconds, then looked back up at Ben.

"Thanks." He whispered, grabbing the bottle and opening it, sitting up on the side of the bed. He drank straight from the bottle, downing about a quarter of its contents with ease before letting out a soft exhale.

"Anytime." Ben softly replied, leaving his bowl on the bed before leaving the room.

"Is he awake?" Carley asked once Ben came downstairs.

"Yup, he's eating now." Ben replied, leaning against the wall. Travis was coddling Duck in the kitchen so the two were absent from the room.

"Good, once he's done we should head to River street. Lee might be there and we need a boat if we want this plan to work." Carley said, lingering around the back door.

"We should try to find medicine too. There's none in the house, but maybe one of the other ones has one." Christa suggested, a barely conscious Omid sat next to her.

"Yeah, that would work. My leg feels like hell." Omid agreed, looking down at his recently reopened leg.

"Sure, we'll scout the area after securing a boat." Carley nodded, opening the door. "Kenny, can you come here?" She called. After a few moments, Kenny came downstairs, his posture slumped over and sad. He barely looked up, scanning the room for his son.

"Where's Duck?" Kenny asked, his voice was less hoarse thanks to the beverage.

"I-I'm here, dad.." Duck appeared from the kitchen with Travis limping behind him. Kenny wrapped his arms around him as the two began to sob.

"I am so sorry, I will never ever put you in danger like that, you hear me?" Kenny choked out, holding him tight.

"N-no, dad.. That's not what I want." Duck sobbed back, he seemed weirdly composed even if he was crying.

"What?" Kenny stared at him in shock.

"We were talking about a plan to head for River street. I was wondering.. Can I come?" Duck asked, already knowing the answer but refusing to accept it.

"I.. No, I can't lose you too, Duck." Kenny answered, looking his son directly in the face.

"You will lose me if you keep babying me, Chuck said it himself! Also, uh, sorry for listening in." The boy wiped his tears away from his eyes, directing the last part at Mark and Carley.

Choices:

A: Just let him come, Kenny

B: It's too dangerous, sorry Duck.

Relationships:

Clementine is ashamed of her actions and very sorry but won't speak up. 7/10

Kenny is a mess right now, but he does wish you were here to maybe back him up. 7/10

Duck wishes you and Chuck were here to back him up. 10/10

Carley really misses you. 10/10

Mark needs your leadership during these awful times. 10/10

Ben is unsure of how you feel about him now, knowing that you didn't vote for him to be here. 7/10

Travis is grateful for you saving him. 10/10

Chuck trusts that you can save the group. 9/10

Omid hopes you make a return soon, he misses Clem's good nature. 7/10

Christa needs your help at this point, if not Omid might be a goner. 7/10

The stranger is a danger to the group. 3/10


	58. The Road To River Street

"He can come. I think the kid is ready. Besides, he's right, if you baby him he'll.." Mark was interrupted by an angry Kenny, who barely above a whisper asked him a question.

"He'll what?" With those two words Kenny shook his head and headed for the gate. "Fine. The boy can come. On one condition."

"Yes! You won't regret it!" Duck cheered, following his dad to the gate.

"What condition?" Carley slowly asked, fearing it was something either extremely dangerous or stupid.

"One of you has to come with, otherwise we'll be out in the open awaiting death. You both can't come because someone stable needs to guard this house. Omid and Travis are out of commission, in fact one of them is missing an ear, Christa is hyperfocused on coddling her boyfriend and Ben is Ben. He can't be trusted." Kenny wiped away his own tears, his voice returning to normal.

"Oh uh.. What do you think, Mark?" Carley asked, staring back at her friend. "He makes a fair point, with that stranger running around, we can't be too careful."

"About that, have you told the group about him?" Mark asked, whispering now.

"Yeah, I told Christa and Ben and Kenny heard about it. Travis heard about it too. Duck and Omid don't know." Carley answered, looking back at the house.

"Alright.. Let's see." Mark weighed through his options, deciding on….

Choices:

A: Mark goes

B: Carley goes

Relationships (Mark):

Carley is your closest ally at the moment. 10/10

Lee is searching for you. It may not be long until you two meet again. 10/10

Clementine doesn't know you very well but you two seem to get along. 7/10

Duck seems a bit.. Too eager. You'll have to keep close tabs on him. He does appreciate you letting him come. 7/10

Kenny is a bit pissed at you for letting Duck come. 4/10

Omid and Christa seem to like you. 7/10

Ben is very happy you voted to keep him. You guys have been friends for a while. 10/10

Travis is a bit sour you didn't vote Ben out. 8/10

Chuck and you haven't talked much. 5/10

The Stranger is a danger to the group. 2/10

((Question of the chapter, why do you think Katjaa killed herself? Hint, it isn't because of Fivel.))


	59. Plan B?

Mark stepped up, walking towards the father and son whilst pulling out his rifle. "I'll go, you're better off here. You're our leader and a great shot. We'll scout out the area, come back and tell you what we found." He explained.

"Got it. Be careful guys." Carley replied, watching as they made their way past the front gate. The temporary leader grabbed Mark's wrist and whispered something in his ear whilst Kenny wasn't looking. "Keep an eye on Kenny and Duck. They're in the middle of a shitty day." Mark nodded quietly before returning to the two.

The walk to River Street was quiet.. Haunting almost. Not a walker in sight, not a voice or bell to be heard. Kenny and Duck remained quiet, as did Mark out of respect for the grieving family. Now they were only a minute away, the air was cold due to the autumn season being on the horizon, just a month away before August. "Hey, be sure to look out for Lee, Chuck and Clem. They might be looking for us here." Mark said, breaking the silence.

"Mhm.." Kenny hummed back unenthusiastically. Duck wasn't acting like the happiest camper either, slouching his shoulders but still keeping an eye out. Who could blame the pair?

DING DONG, DING DONG.

"Motherfucker.. It's those goddamn bells again!" Kenny cursed, crouching down. Duck and Mark quickly joined him.

"Everyone, stay quiet. Walkers should be approaching where the sound came from at any second." Mark warned, leaning against a building. It was foggy, but sure enough the sounds of the dead stumbling towards the sound was there. Walkers were out of their way, moving towards the bell instead.

"Maybe this is good. Now there's no more walkers!" Duck whispered. Mark had to admit, the kid had a point.

"Whatever. If I meet whoever that is, I'll ring their motherfuckin' bell for em." Kenny held his pistol close to his chest just in case any of them came near the trio. They didn't though, fortunately.

"Tch, good one." Mark chuckled, cautiously getting up from his crouching position on the sidewalk. Kenny and Duck followed his movements. The three began walking towards the docks, Mark keeping a close eye on the walkers. "Duck, I think you're right, the walkers really are out of… Oh my god."

There were none. Not one boat. The docks were almost ghostly, with one wrecked ship still occupying a space. Other than that it was baron. Kenny and Duck looked defeated, the latter of which held his dad's hand. "What now?" Mark barely muttered out.

"What now? What do you mean? We take a boat and get the hell out of here to the waters." Kenny answered, tightening his grip on Duck's hand.

"Kenny, look around you! The dock is abandoned, not a boat in sight! Face it, we need a new plan." Mark was getting a bit frustrated. Kenny ignored him, letting go of Duck's hand to run over to the wrecked boat still afloat near the docks.

"This one might still be salvageable." Kenny said, examining the water vehicle.

"C'mon, Kenny, that thing is about as stable as my right ring finger. If Lee were here he-"

"If Lee were here, he would agree with me. I'm doing what's best for the entire group." Kenny interrupted Mark, walking close to the rifle wielding man.

"No, he'd be the first one to come up with a faster, safer plan." Mark argued, clenching his hands against the rifle hard.

"Whatever, he ain't here. So quit whining and take a look around. Use those binoculars over there, they could be of use. Maybe you can find another boat." Kenny ordered, continuing to take a look at the boat. Duck just stood by his father's side whilst Mark was unsure of what to do.

Choices:

A: Listen to Kenny and use the binoculars.

B: Scavenge the area for supplies or Lee. ignore Kenny.

C: Head back to the house and discuss a new plan.

Relationships:

Kenny really doesn't like Mark. 4/10

Carley is glad you thought of her safety. She feels you made the right call. 10/10

Lee has got to be out here somewhere, right? You and Mark are best friends. 10/10

Duck is still deeply saddened but happy Mark decided to take him over to the docks. 7/10

Ben and Mark have been tight friends since they first met. 10/10

Travis and Mark aren't hostile towards each other, but Travis is mad about the vote. 8/10

Omid and Christa hope you and Mark come back in one piece. 7/10

Chuck and Mark haven't talked much. 5/10

The Stranger is a danger to the group. 2/10

((Question of the chapter, favorite and least favorite antagonists?))


	60. The Stranger Appears

Kenny seemed dead set on fixing this boat or at least finding a new one. So after rolling his eyes and spotting the pair of binoculars the man was talking about, Mark walked towards the object and peered into the spots for his eyes. Pitch black darkness met his gaze. "Of course, it can't be that easy, can it? Was a lot easier to sneak money into a hat or something back at the base.." He mumbled to himself, realizing he probably needed a quarter or something to get them working. He attempted to bash the device with his rifle to maybe get it working, but after taking another look it proved fruitless.

"Well, damn. Guess I'll have to find a coin- W-what the?" Mark stopped talking to himself mid sentence, walking away from the binoculars to find a wall covering the street, closing off the other half. Walkers of different shapes, sizes and even ages were speared on display, groaning and festering at a chance of a good meal. Mark almost puked after witnessing the carcasses mindlessly struggling about. "Who the fuck would do this..? People are sick." He slowly backed away from the sight before shaking his head, turning around to look for some money.

A snack shop was nearby alongside a bunch of apartments with weird symbols on them. Symbols that were weird but also.. Familiar? "Wait, I can read this.." Mark inspected the door, which coincidentally had no knob. In fact, none of them did. "Crawford.. And then there are coordinates to an address. Huh.." His eyes wandered to a cash register near a snack shop, so Mark walked towards the register and smirked. "Jackpot."

Upon opening the box, he was met with a depressing bag of stale chips. He picked it up nonetheless and shut the register before walking toward the end of the street. With no quarters in sight, Mark resorted to tapping a newspaper machine. Success! A quarter fell out right onto the pavement. "Thank goodness. Maybe now we'll find something." He picked it up before going back to the binoculars. Duck and Kenny continued to look at the boat, trying to fix the lost cause that was the final boat.

Mark put the quarter inside of the slot and was happy to see the skyscrapers across the ocean. He was about to take another look when Kenny walked up next to him. "Goddamnit!" The fisherman spat, causing his son to look toward the ground.

"What? Was your pipe dream just that?" Woah, that was unexpected out of Mark. He must be getting frustrated.

"Keep talking, fucker. You think this has been easy?! It hasn't! I lost my fucking wife today and you have the gull, the balls to play games with me?! Watch your tongue!" Kenny was shouting at this point, causing walkers to groan from their impaled wall prison.

"D..Dad? What is that?" Duck mumbled out, stepping back slightly, his new pistol snug in his back pocket. Kenny looked horrified instead of angry now.

"What the hell is that!?" Kenny asked the glasses wearing man, his tone quieter than before.

"Anger..? Hate? Torture." Mark sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. After a few seconds of silence, he looked up at Kenny. "I'm sorry. Go ahead and sit down."

"Duck, sit with me. We need to talk." The mustachioed man sat down on a bench nearby, his son slowly and hesitantly following behind. Mark peeked around the waters with the binoculars, finding nothing but abandoned cities and destroyed boats. Something, or someone did catch his eye on the other hand. A figure in a red hoodie was climbing the rooftops.

"Holy shit, Kenny, Duck get down!" He whispered, immediately ducking down behind the bench while keeping an eye on the figure.

"What? What's going on?" Kenny asked quietly, taking his pistol out. Mark took out his rifle and Duck took out his own gun, making Mark a little nervous. He gave the kid a look but sighed when Duck didn't get it.

"There's someone up there, could be our bell ringer. They're coming down." Mark pointed at the stranger, to which Kenny became angry once again. Angry and maybe happy?

"Perfect, when we see an opening, you run up behind him and beat the shit out of him, I'll cover your flank. Duck, you stay here and cover both of us." Kenny explained, watching as the stranger landed on the street and began inspecting the area.

"Got it. I'm ready." Duck replied eagerly. Mark wasn't sure of how to feel, especially with Duck here. Plus, his pacifist nature was telling him not to attack.

Choices:

A: Perfect, let's go.

B: No, bad plan. Let's just talk to him.

C: Sure, but let's not involve Duck.

Relationships:

Kenny is happy Mark listened to him. 5/10

Duck is happy Mark listened to his dad. 8/10

Lee has got to be around here by now, right? 10/10

Carley is currently Mark's closest ally. 10/10

Ben is one of Mark's closest friends. 10/10

Travis also respects Mark quite a lot. 8/10

Mark hopes Chuck returns soon, he wanted to get to know him more. 5/10

Clementine and Mark aren't too close. 7/10

Omid and Christa seem friendly with Mark. 7/10

The stranger seems dangerous, maybe we have him cornered? 2/10

((Question of the chapter, what villains would you like to see changed, and how should I change them? This includes Carver, The Stranger, Oberson, Troy, Arvo, Tavia, Nate, Roman, Joan, Clint, Max, Badger, Lilly, Larry, Minnie etc etc.))


	61. Crawford

Mark shook his head as the stranger went behind the snack store's counter. "No, you guys stay back here and cover, I will talk to him. I'm sick of seeing so much violence, I'm going to confront him in a more relaxed and peaceful way."

"You're fucking crazy. Whatever, fine, it's your funeral." Kenny prepared himself next to his son as Mark stood up, clenching his fists and taking a deep breath as he slowly approached the register.

"Hello? Uh.. Look, I'm not here to hurt you, I just want to know who you are." He greeted hesitantly, slowly approaching the frozen stranger. The hooded person ducked behind the counter, confusing the already frightened Mark. He continued walking forward, looking over the counter to find no one there. "What the..?" Suddenly, Mark was hit in the cheek, knuckles sending him straight to the ground. He tried to get up, only to feel the person's shadow enveloping them. They were blonde, pale and wore a facemask with the red hoodie. They brought a hook from their back pocket and prepared for an attack.

"STOP!" Duck yelled, a bullet going off and striking the stranger in the shoulder. They yelled out in pain, revealing their voice to be that of a woman.

"Duck, n-no! We agreed no violence!" Mark scolded, peering his eyes toward the young boy's shaky hands holding a pistol.

"Oh.. I'm sorry.." Duck looked down at the ground, disappointed in himself for being so quick to draw.

"Sorry?! You're sorry, kid?! Ah.. Fuck.." The woman yelped out, taking out a bag of various supplies.

"I'm so sorry, we have some bandages, let me patch you up." Mark offered, trying to find some spare ones in his pocket.

"Back off, limp dick, I can do it myself." She spat, taking out a gauze and alcohol. "Damnit, running low too. What the hell are you assholes doing here? Don't you know what.. Ah, territory this is?" She asked, struggling to speak. She seemed calm around them for some reason.

"Why aren't you scared? If I were you I'd be crying like a baby." Mark asked, gently kneeling down next to her.

"Well one, I'm not you. Two, if you wanted to kill me, or worse, you wouldn't have him with you." She pointed in the direction of Duck with her left hand, patching herself up relatively quickly.

"Kenny, come out." Mark called to his ally. Kenny stood up, his gun tucked away in his pocket. Him and Duck revealed themselves fully, standing up next to Mark.

"Who the hell are you people? You clearly aren't from Crawford." The girl asked impatiently.

"I have a few questions for you first, lady. Were you the one stalkin' us?" Kenny asked angrily, approaching her before Mark took his wrist.

"Kenny, stop." Mark muttered, getting frustrated with the man's temper.

"Listen to your friend. I don't know who you are, so no, asshole, I'm not." The blonde replied, slowly standing up. She looked dizzy but still very strong, her teeth gritted and her eyes fully aware.

"Well, then were you the one ringin' those bells?" Kenny questioned once more.

"Yup, that would be me." She answered smugly, smirking for the first time that day.

"Hold on, why?" Mark asked.

"Because it's the only safe way to get around this hellhole. The entire city is raided and infected. Using the bells attracts the geeks to the tower, distracting them and buying me escape time." She explained. It actually made a lot of sense.

"Geeks, is that what you call em?" Kenny asked, never hearing that definition for walkers before.

"Yeah, you know, like the ones at carnivals? They'll eat anything, alive or dead." She replied, rubbing her injury.

"Well, look, I'm Mark. This is Kenny and Duck. We're out here looking for a boat for our group. It's.. Been a rough day for everyone." Mark explained, properly introducing everyone. The woman looked at Kenny and Duck who seemed to tense up and become saddened. She understood and nodded.

"Yeah, well, just.. Don't go so crazy on strangers next time, junior, okay? I'm Molly." Molly responded, removing her mask to reveal her entire pale face. Mark thought she was actually kind of pretty..

"Okay.." Duck said, looking up at her for a split second before shooting his eyes back at the floor.

"Say, you mentioned a group, Crawford? Who are they?" Mark asked the woman. She rolled her eyes before looking at the wall of impaled walkers.

"The worst kind of people. They were a group that settled in this school, seemed really safe, lot's of members. Next thing you know there are too many members, supplies are running low. So, they enforced a new rule: If you can't pull your weight, you're out. That meant children, elderly, anyone with a medical condition that required meds. All of those people were considered drains on their resources.."

"Sick fucks did this to kids?!" Kenny asked, outraged by such a disgusting act.

"Well, no. They let kids go off alone. Close to murder but no, they don't fire the bullet." Molly answered, picking her hook back up from the ground. It was covered in her own blood. She wiped it off and put it back in her bag. "Oh and about that boat? Fat chance you're finding one here. Crawford has picked this city clean. You're better off elsewhere honestly."

"Goddamnit.. FUCK!" Kenny vented in frustration, kicking a trashcan down.

"Hey, moron, wanna keep your voice down?" Molly beckoned, the walkers who were impaled squirming angrily for their next set of meat. Kenny stood for a few seconds before sighing.

"C'mon then, let's go back to the mansion and tell everyone the news." Mark told the group, beginning to make his way back. He was cut off by at least twelve walkers travelling towards them, cutting him off from the way back.

"Ah, shit! Gunshot must have drawn em." Kenny yelled, pulling out his pistol. Duck did the same and began firing immediately, shooting the walkers dead. All that did was bring more.

"Ah! T-there's too many!" Duck yelped.

"Molly, is there-" Mark looked behind him only to find that Molly was gone, missing. She must have run off. The group ran into the alleyway close by and found her climbing a brick wall leading to the roof of a building with her hook. "IS THERE ANOTHER WAY OUT?!"

"Don't know, don't care!" Molly yelled back, flinching as her wound reopened.

"You can't just leave us here!" Duck yelled, almost angry. Molly looked down at the three for a few seconds. Walkers were just about cornering them, so she decided to be generous and hold her good hand down.

"Come on, grab my hand." She said, annoyed. Kenny helped his son up immediately, getting him to safety. He then jumped up and managed to grab Molly's hand, being safely pulled up as well.

"C'mon, Mark, grab on!" Kenny ordered, lending his own hand. Just as Mark jumped up, a walker tackled him to the ground, knocking him to his ass.

"Shit, get off you fuck!" He screeched, pushing the thing off with the side of his rifle before attempting to run. There was no way out of the alley, walkers poured in on both sides. That is until Mark noticed a manhole cover. "Molly, gimme your hook!"

"Okay, here, but you better give her back!" The blonde, athletic woman yelled, tossing the weapon down. Mark struggled to get the cover open with the blade until he finally unlocked it, tossing the thing to the side.

"MARK, HAUL ASS!" Kenny screamed, but it may have been too soon. Mark was about to go down the ladder when a set of teeth chomped down on his arm. Blood gushed from the spot momentarily before the adult human was able to kick the walker down the manhole. "Holy shit.. He's.. He's bitten!" Those were the last, horrifying words Mark heard before jumping down the hole, catching the ladder on his way down and making his speedy way to the sewers below to avoid any falling walkers. Two attempted to get down and both fell to their deaths.

An exhausted Mark sat down next to their corpses and rolled up his sleeve, revealing a red bite mark, blood slowly pouring down the injury. It wasn't much but that was the least of his worries.

Choices:

A: Kill yourself

B: Continue on and find the group.

Relationships:

Kenny is mad Mark didn't follow his plan. 4/10

Duck is sorry for shooting anyways. 5/10

Lee has got to be around here somewhere, right? 10/10

Carley is Mark's closest ally currently. 10/10

Ben and Mark have been tight since the beginning. 10/10

Travis and Mark are also close. 10/10

Mark hopes Chuck returns safely to the group, as he'd like to get to know him better. 5/10

Clem and Mark don't know each other much but they're still close. 7/10

Omid and Christa seem friendly to Mark. 7/10

Molly is happy Mark was kind and peaceful with her. 6/10

The stranger is a danger to the group. 2/10

((Question of the chapter, since we've reached 1,000 reviews, what has been your favorite moment in the story thus far? Thank you all once again!))


	62. The Sewers

Mark panted heavily at the sight that was his bite, thinking over the several, several possibilities that could take over him. "Well, firstly, I'll die.. Then I'll become one of them and-and.. Oh god.." He almost felt like puking, but held back, swallowing the knot in his throat and refusing to give up. "I need to find help, I need to get out.." With that, Mark got up from the ground, rolled up his sleeve and began walking through the sewers.

DING DONG.

Lee and company looked up at the bells that made the same loud, bombastic and echoey noise it had made hours prior. They were close, Lee knew it. "Maybe that's our ticket.. Just follow the bells!"

"Nah, your group is smart. Ringin' them bells must be the work of another suicidal idiot, or.." Chuck trailed off, staring down at the radio in Lee's pocket. Clementine looked away from the two and folded her bloody arms. As stated previously the three had to use walker guts to avoid all of the walkers near the train station and it seemed to be working. Charles' theory was a success.

"Lee, I'm tired.. Can we stop soon?" Clementine asked, her steps slowing down.

"We can't stop now, River Street is only a block away. Once we see everyone you can sit down but for now we have to continue." Lee stated. He felt a little harsh, but truth be told he was tired too. They couldn't stop now though, not yet. When they turned the corner to River Street though, that plan changed.

A sea of walkers crowded the area. It was infested, dead, and smelled awful. Stopping in their tracks, Lee assumed the worst and couldn't take it anymore. He slumped against a nearby wall and fell to the floor, tears welling up in his eyes. "I-it's.. Over.. They're.. They.."

"Hold on, we don't know that yet. You can't give up yet." Chuck crouched down next to his sobbing friend whilst Clementine just stared at the hoard, her heart going on a triathlon from fear. Lee didn't reply, he just sobbed. Nothing could ever convince him in his mind that he didn't fail. He felt responsible for everything.

For Lilly, who he scared away from the only people she could call family, for Travis, who he so stupidly let go of too soon, for Clem for being so hard on her only for her to not trust him anyways and for Chuck, for dragging him along and endangering the old, poor guy. Not to mention the fact that he blamed himself for his wife and his separation, and now the deaths of everyone in his group, including a family, his best friend and his new girlfriend.

"God help us.." The old man whispered, slumping down next to Lee.

"C-Clem.. Just, rest now, sweet pea." Lee tried to tell her in between sobs. She looked down at him, her lower lip quivering.

"L-Lee.." She muttered, beginning to shake with her entire body. She slowly approached him before collapsing into his chest, the two sharing an embrace. Chuck tried to open up his bottle of spare whiskey, but it was already empty.

"We uh.. Shouldn't stay long. Let's find somewhere to stay, then we'll figure out a way out of Savannah." He butted in, picking himself up. After hugging for at least a minute, Lee felt slightly warmer, more obligated to protect Clem than ever before. She was basically all he had left.

"Come on.. Let's go." Lee forced himself up, leading Clementine and Chuck around the city to look for shelter.

Mark narrowly escaped a batch of walkers in the sewer, sneaking past a group after using a leaky pipe as a distraction. Upon making it to what appeared to be a dead end and killing the remaining walkers that lingered in the area, he began searching around for a way out. There was an open space above him, but it was quite high and would require a ladder, which he didn't have. He did have the hook though. It had been fifteen minutes since he was bitten and he knew he didn't have long. Maybe a day at best? That's what his body told him at least. The bite didn't feel like a dog's, it felt like a syringe constantly plugged into him, dispensing poison into his body. But the feeling was all in his arm.

"Here goes nothing.." He mumbled to himself, taking out Molly's hook thing. In an attempt to perform the same parkour she had previously, he jumped to the air and tried to stab the wall, only to fall down and hit a sign underneath the daylight. The sign was knocked over, revealing a massive square shaped hole in the wall. "What? That's.. Odd. Maybe there's something in here I shouldn't be seeing.." Mark walked in, blocking the hole back up with the sign in case a walker saw him. The place he was in was packed with supplies and looked to be a morgue.

He scanned the area, noticing every little can and boxed good in the room. "My god. This must be enough to feed our entire group for months. I have to tell them!" He seemed a bit more enthusiastic, realizing he could do one more good thing before he perished. Mark opened a door to what he hoped was the exit to the sewer. He was wrong. Instead he found a bunker full of people, mostly elders with one young woman being the exception. Mark froze and held his hands up immediately. The sound of a gun cocking alerted him to their leader, a frigid old man with balding hair and pale skin. "Woah, woah, I'm not looking for trouble! I'm just lost!"

"I.. I don't know if I can trust you.." The man replied, holding the gun directly at Mark's forehead, only about six feet away.

"Vernon.. He's from Crawford. He's gotta be. Please, just end him before he gets a chance to escape." The young woman pleaded, bringing up that sick group's name again.

"Hey, are you from Crawford? Don't lie to me, I'll know." Vernon, the leader asked. He seemed nervous, reasonably so. He didn't look like a bad guy.

"No, no I swear I'm not! I'm from a group that came here for a boat but.." Mark trailed off, looking down at his bad arm.

"But what?" Vernon asked carefully.

"We got separated. We were ambushed by walkers and on my way down here trying to escape from them I was.. I was bitten." He took one step forward, rolling up his sleeve to reveal the bite mark. It was red but the blood had dried up.

"Well, look, I'm sorry. B-but you should know, especially if you know Crawford, that I have to be careful. I have a group too." The man didn't lower his gun, but did take his finger off the trigger.

"That is exactly why you need to end this!" The brunette woman yelled. Everyone in the room was either frozen and silent or panicked and scared.

"What do you want me to do, Brie, shoot him in the head?!" Vernon asked, his voice was becoming more and more nervous.

"If that's what it takes!" Brie shouted back.

"Wait, Vernon, I have an idea." A black, older fellow piped up, walking towards Mark.

"Clive, wait-" Brie warned, trying to stop the man.

"You said you had a bite? Let me look at it." Clive said, Mark happily obliged, giving the man his arm. Vernon kept the gun on the military worker. "Yikes, looks bad.. But not doomed."

"Yeah, I was bitten around twenty minutes ago. Wait, what do you mean?" Mark felt his heart skip a beat. Did he mean he could help him?

"We can save you, on one condition: Never come back. Never tell anyone about us and leave the city immediately. You have two choices."

Choices:

A: Yes, I'll do exactly what you say!

B: No, I don't care if I die. I need your help saving my group.

Relationships:

Kenny believes Mark is a goner. 4/10

Duck thinks Mark is doomed. 5/10

Lee has got to be around here somewhere, right? 10/10

Carley is Mark's closest ally currently. 10/10

Ben and Mark have been tight since the beginning. 10/10

Travis and Mark are also close. 10/10

Mark hopes Chuck returns safely to the group, as he'd like to get to know him better. 5/10

Clem and Mark don't know each other much but they're still close. 7/10

Omid and Christa seem friendly to Mark. 7/10

Molly is happy Mark was kind and peaceful with her. 6/10

The stranger is a danger to the group. 2/10

This new group is offering to save Mark's life under the condition the group can never talk to or mention them again. Will you take the offer? 5/10

((Question of the chapter, if you had to off anyone in the group, who would you kill? I'd personally go with Duck even though I don't really hate him. He's okay but out of everyone in our group I'd kill him off first.))


	63. Martyr

Mark bit his lip violently, clenching his fist in anger. Not at them, but at himself. Why did he ever let himself get bit? "No. No deal. My group means more than my life. Take me back to my people, and help us. You have medicine here, right? Supplies and people. There are two men in my group who are injured, one with an infected leg. I'll be damned if selfishness is what gets my friends killed. So, c'mon, let's go." The survivors were shocked, Vernon was brought to tears.

"Alright.. I'll go with ya. Unfortunately we don't have much medicine left so I can't do much, but I am a doctor. I may be able to help your friends." Vernon dropped the gun to his side, wiping away his tears.

"Fine. I'll keep tabs on Joyce while you're gone." Clive sighed, walking back to the rest of his elderly group.

"Thank you. All of you. This means a lot." Mark said sincerely, looking down at the bite with a scowl. He pulled his sleeve up out of frustration at the bite.

"I uh.. I know how it feels, to lose friends, loved ones. I lost my daughter a long time ago. I'll be damned if I'll let it happen to such a nice guy and his group." After telling Mark this, the old man made sure the rest of his group would be safe. Afterwards, the two left, Vernon guiding Mark through the sewers. He could feel himself getting dizzy, his arm was burning and so was his head. He didn't care. He may have saved his group, that's all that mattered.

Upon reaching the streets, the two made their way back to the mansion which Mark thankfully could spot even with his in and out brain. He didn't give up the long, silent walk until they reached the gates. Carley thankfully noticed him and gladly let the two in. That is when Mark finally succumbed to his exhaustion and passed out.

Meanwhile, Lee, Chuck and Clem continued walking the streets, quiet and somber. They were knocked out of their grieving, quiet trance when the sound of a gunshot alerted them to a nearby mansion. "W-what was that?"

"Sounds like gunfire.. We're not alone." Chuck answered, pulling out the spare pistol he always had on him. Lee took out his own as well.

"Clementine, stay behind us. Let's check it out." Lee whispered, nodding towards the building. Chuck hesitantly agreed, following Lee towards the noise. Clem slowly followed behind. The walker guts had mostly dried up at this point, so it didn't work as much anymore. Any walker nearby would be lethal.

Upon looking over the gate, Lee was speechless to see Mark with a bullet between his eyes, a sobbing Carley standing over him next to Ben and Travis, who seemed almost as sad. In a mixture of relief, sadness and horror, Lee began knocking on the gate. Clem and Chuck were right behind him.

"Carley, Ben, Travis, it-it's Lee!" Was all he managed to say before the tears came right back. Carley, stunned to hear those words ran to the gate and opened it immediately.

"Oh my god, Lee, Clem, Chuck! Y-you're.. Alive.." She whispered, burying her head in his chest and sobbing with the man. Clem joined in the hug whilst Chuck just watched, a smile forming on his face.

"Mark.. Why did you-"

"He was bitten. H-he didn't want to t-turn.." Carley muttered back, looking up at Lee with such sadness, such.. Pain. Lee felt what she felt, but at the end of the day was still relieved.

"Jesus.. How is Travis and uh Katjaa? They were kind of messed up last time I saw them." Lee asked, only to receive another sad look.

"I'll explain everything.. Inside. There's a lot to go over." She answered, holding his hand. "You weren't bitten, right? None of you were?'

"No, we're fine. In fact, we barely saw any action with any walkers." Chuck stated, closing the gate behind the four.

"Good. I can't lose you, not.. Not again. Let's get inside." Carley smiled, holding his hand the whole way in. Lee stared at his friend's lifeless corpse and let out a shaky breath, closing his eyes before reopening them.

"Thank you, Mark."

An hour later, Lee had met Vernon and been told about Katjaa. Clementine didn't take the news well, but after not speaking for several seconds she seemed to come to grips with the cold fact. Kenny, Duck and Molly eventually returned and Lee was acquainted with the girl. After getting through the initial shock that Lee was indeed alive, Kenny and Duck subsided themselves so he could talk to her. "And you must be Molly."

"Yeah, I'm the chick that saved your group's asses. You're welcome by the way." Molly said, shaking the man's hand aggressively.

"Uh thanks.. Kenny, are you uh, okay?" Lee asked, avoiding the newest member to their group.

"I assume you heard since you asked. No, I'm not. I'd prefer if we stopped talking about that and started talking about what we do without a boat." Kenny answered, sitting down next to Lee and Carley. Clementine and Duck were also upstairs, or at least that's what the adults thought.

"Well, we have to start with saving Omid first. Him and Travis are seriously hurt, if they don't receive medical attention.." Christa looked back at the staircase. Travis had fallen incredibly due to the injuries Andy had caused them, and a simple bandage wouldn't help. Omid was completely immobile thanks to the pain in his leg.

"That's exactly why I'm here. I have a plan on how we can get your group safe and healthy, but it's going to be risky." Vernon explained.

"We're up for anything, we need to make sure Mark's sacrifice isn't in vain." Carley responded, determined to save her group.

"Right. Well, there's a place around here you may have heard of known as Crawford. Me and my people used to be members of the group before things got tougher on us and we had to escape."

"Yeah, I've heard of them. I'm sorry you had to suffer through that." Lee said. He had heard about Crawford through what Carley had told him.

"Right, so what we've been planning for a while is a raid on the place." Halfway through Vernon's sentence Molly laughed at his words.

"What are you, suicidal? There's no way you're leading a group to that deathtrap and getting out alive."

"Let me finish. As I was saying, I always planned to raid the place, but never had the right people to do it. That's where you come in. We'd sneak in from the sewers, go to the nurses station where they keep the medicine and grab what we need. Then we'd escape. Are you in or out?" Vernon explained further, Lee was dead set on following through.

"I'm in, especially if we can find some gas for a car or something to get the hell outta here." Kenny spoke up, leaning forward on the couch.

"Same here. We need all the help we can get. Who else is in?" Lee asked, not forcing anyone to go. Carley and Chuck raised their hands.

"I'm with ya for the long haul."

"I'll always be by your side from now on." Carley told him with a smile. Lee smiled back.

"Can I come? I know I've fucked up in the past, but I want to help. I know I can redeem myself.. For Travis."

"Of course, Ben. If you want to come, you're more than welcome to join us."

"Just don't screw things up, kid." Kenny blurted out, giving Ben a mean glare.

"I'll come too. For Omid." Christa spoke up. Everyone looked at Molly for her answer. She rolled her eyes and let out a groan.

"Fine, I'll help you dumbasses out, as long as you split the supplies three ways with me."

"Why are you still even here?" Christa asked the athlete.

"Because the kid shot me in the shoulder and I feel you owe me for that." Molly snarkily replied, shocking Lee.

"Wait, Duck did what?" Lee asked with his eyes wide. Molly almost laughed at his reaction if her shoulder still didn't hurt.

"Lee!" Clementine's small, cute voice yelled from the front door. "Lee, you have to see this! Duck and I found something amazing outside!"

"What are you doing outside? You know it's not safe." Lee asked, concerned. He didn't think what she found was much since she was only nine.

"I know, and I'm sorry, but you have to see this!" Clem yelled back, running back to the front. Lee shrugged, following Clem outside. The rest of the group came with him.

What they saw made them stop in their tracks and become shocked with happiness, surprise and most of all relief. "Holy shit."

"Swear." Clem called out, still very excited.

"Sorry, sorry, it's just.. How the hell-" Lee was speechless.

It was a boat. A real, functional looking motorboat. Kenny's jaw dropped and he approached his son. "Why didn't we look over here sooner? Duck, you saved us!"

"I know, I'm a hero!" Duck smiled, taking on a superhero stance. That was the first time he had felt happy that day.

"Does this change your plans?" Vernon asked Lee.

"No, not at all. A boat is a good first step, but we still need medicine for Omid and Travis. Plus, we should help your group out, too." Lee clarified. Kenny went toward the boat to check it out.

"You're a good man, Lee, anyone can see that. I'll be back soon, I have to tell my group a few things. Let's meet back up here at around midnight, we can start our sneak attack on Crawford then."

"You got a good plan. Good luck, Vernon." The leader told the other leader, watching as he left the premises.

"How is it, Ken?" Carley asked. Kenny sighed, checking the battery holster only to find nothing.

"Well, it ain't so bad yet. There's no gas and the battery's been stripped but aside from that I'm not sure. I'll have to check up on her further. Go inside, I'll try to see if anything else is wrong."

"Thanks, man." Lee replied, giving Kenny a pat on the shoulder.

"..Yeah, sure. Just get some rest, man." Kenny slowly responded, getting to work on the boat to distract him from Lee's sap.

"I should be telling you that." The educator said, walking back inside with most of the rest of the group. Lee went upstairs to do exactly what Kenny had asked of him, heading into the office room. Clementine followed him inside, looking up at him as he sat down on a bench.

"Lee..? Um.. Me and Duck were wondering, since we overheard you guys talking.. Can we come to Crawford too?" She asked nervously.

"I uh.. I don't know about that Clementine.. It's gonna be dangerous." Lee warned, not knowing what to tell her. He shouldn't baby her, he knew that, but Crawford was a special case. They wouldn't hesitate to kill a liability.. Or worse from what he had heard.

"But you said you need as many people as possible. Duck and I know how to shoot, we can help!" Clem gave Lee a pair of sad puppy dog eyes in an attempt for her to pity him. "Plus, what if Omid or Travis turns, or-or a stranger comes in." The two shared a moment of silence as Lee thought about what she said. "Can't we come with you?"

Choices:

A: Yes, you can.

B: Only you, not Duck.

C: Only Duck, not you.

D: Neither of you can come.

Relationships:

Clementine and you have become closer as a result of your time spent away. However, you're still anxious about the whole stranger thing. 8/10

Kenny is glad to have you back, albeit he is miserable due to recent events. 7/10

Carley is extremely happy you're back. 10/10

Duck hopes you won't baby him like everyone else does. 10/10

Chuck and you have grown stronger through your lonesome journey together. 10/10

Mark will be missed. 10/10

Ben has already been forgiven, thus you forgive him as well. 8/10

Travis is happy you're back as he thinks you make a better leader than Carley. 10/10

Omid and Christa are both very happy to see you alive and well with Clementine. 7/10

The Stranger is a danger to the group. 3/10

Molly and you just met but already she seems resilient and strong, just a bit of an asshole. 6/10

Vernon already approves of you and your group. 6/10

((Question of the chapter, do you regret getting Mark killed? Why or why not?))


	64. Sneaky Feelings

"Look, Clem, I know that you're capable of shooting, and I know you and Duck are smart kids. But what you need to realize is that these people are terrible. Think of it like this: Did Mark sacrifice himself just for you to die in a mission you aren't prepared for?" Lee questioned.

"N-no.. but-" Clem couldn't really think of a rebuttal, especially since she was quite young herself.

"And about Travis and Omid. You like them, right? What if the bad man on the radio tries to get in, or one of them dies? You two need to be there to protect them."

"I guess so.. Just, be careful, Lee.." Clem replied, sitting down next to him whilst holding his hand. He squeezed her hand back.

"I will be, honey.. For now, just get some rest. When Vernon comes back we'll all settle down for rations and you can wish me luck then."

"Okay.." The two snuggled up together for a while until Carley entered the room unexpectedly.

"Heya, guys.. Um, Lee, can we talk alone?" The reporter asked. She looked pale and sad, almost as pale as a walker. That idea scared Lee.

"Uh, sure. Clem, do you mind playing with Duck for a while?"

"I'm not sure he'll want to play, but okay, Lee.." She got up, walking out of the room. She looked miserable, and Lee could only assume it was a combination of being told no and because today had been a shit show. The door closed behind her and Carley replaced Clem's position.

"What's wrong?"

"Lot's of things. Firstly," She pulled Lee's cheeks close before giving him a passionate, needy kiss. After pulling back, she sighed, her hands on his shoulders. "Secondly, I uh.. I can't stop thinking about what happened earlier."

"What happened earlier? Are you talking about.. Mark..?" Lee had to pause between his sentence, the memory of his friend's body being engraved in his mind.. Ugh, why did he use that word in his head?

"Mark, yes. Him and that Vernon creep." Carley rolled her eyes when she spoke the old man's name.

"Vernon? He seems nice enough to me." Lee replied.

"Tch, sure. You say that to everyone. I don't forget when you tried to save Lilly's dad. How long ago was that, two weeks ago?" Ouch, that didn't bring up good memories.

"Lilly was going through a lot." Lee defensively said.

"Her father was an asshole to you through everything, Lee." Carley shot back, finding amusement when he couldn't think of a rebuttal.

"..Point proven. Anyways, what's wrong with Vernon?"

"Mark told me something. They gave him an ultimatum of sorts: keep the arm and die later to save the group or take off the arm to save him from the bite, but we wouldn't be able to talk to them. He sacrificed himself to save us because he knew they could help."

"Why couldn't they just save him and us?" Lee asked, outraged by the cruel ultimatum.

"Exactly! It both pisses me off and confuses the hell out of me. Thirdly, also about Mark.. He had something to tell you." Carley's tone switched. She looked down at her lap where a piece of paper bulged from her pocket. Lee spotted it too.

"..Go on." Lee nodded. Carley brought the paper out and stared at the words, clearing her throat before starting.

"He said, 'take care of that little girl, the group and most importantly yourself. You're a god send, buddy, don't let my death be in vain. I.. Love you all." She finished solemnly, looking up at Lee with sympathy. "Are you okay..?"

"Yeah, yeah.. I just wish I could have said goodbye." Lee muttered, rubbing his temples as he sat up on the cot.

"Well, he didn't want to turn and go against his principles. He was a pacifist through and through, Lee." Carley tried to reassure. It clearly didn't work as Lee looked even worse now.

"..Um I'm gonna get some rest. You can stay with me if you want."

"Oh, that reminds me, here's your ration bag. We didn't take too much." Carley handed Lee a backpack that housed a lot of the group's main supplies. Lee smiled and happily took it, looking through the bag. It was kind of depressing how little was left. 'How did we rip through so much supplies in so little time?' Lee thought to himself.

"I'll leave ya be. I gotta check up on Travis and Kenny, they've both been through.. Quite a lot." She said, getting up from next to him.

"I heard Duck shot the new girl, Molly. Why do you think she's still here?"

"You heard her earlier, we owe her, apparently. I'd keep an eye on that one. She seems the selfish type. Love you, now get some rest." With that, Carley left the room, leaving Lee to go to bed. He slipped off his shoes, pulled a blanket out from a nearby basket and curled up. It would have been comfortable if the thoughts of Mark weren't blasting through his mind.

"Lee.." A voice uttered, sounding exactly like his wife's. It was pitch black, nothing could be seen.

"It's your fault, Lee.." Another voice spoke, sounding an awful lot like Lilly.

"It's all your fault." Mark appeared suddenly, his entire body covered in bite marks.

"No.. I-I.." Lee could barely speak. He looked down at his body and found himself in a fancy suit and tie, the same one he wore on his wedding day.

"Face it, you abandoned us. You're a death magnet, not a leader." A new voice peaked out, Travis.

"Please.. Why can't I stop dreaming about you?!" Lee asked the voices, collapsing to the ground as they revealed themselves together, walking away from him.

"Goodbye, forever~" The three figures laughed maniacally, out of character for both Mark and Lilly. His wife was always a villain in Lee's dreams. The dream ended when Lee was shaken awake by Carley.

"Lee!" She yelled, but it wasn't loud at all. It was a mix of assuring and scared.

"H-huh? Carley.." He groggily recognized his girlfriend, shaking the sleep off his eyes.

"You were having a nightmare again. Do you want to talk about it..?" She asked, knowing he wasn't too open about the dreams he had.

"N-no, it's fine. What time is it?" He asked, looking out the window, or trying to from his position. It was dark, and the moon was visible.

"Well, Vernon's here." Carley answered.

"God I must have been tired." Lee said to himself, staring at his watch for the real time: Twelve o' clock midnight exactly.

"You don't say. Don't worry about handing out rations, I did it for you. Here." Carley pulled out a piece of string cheese, the wrapper half peeled off. Lee slowly took it, sitting up to put his shoes back on. "Everyone's outside, they're waiting on you."

"What about the kids?" He asked in between bites of the dairy product.

"Duck is in his room. He's.. Not too happy about your decision to keep him here, but Kenny is. Clementine is waiting for you downstairs." She informed him.

"We should go then. I'm not sure how long we'll have to make a stealthy entrance."

"Gotcha, chief." Carley responded, lingering at the door as Lee stuffed the last of the food in his mouth. They escaped the office before heading downstairs, where Clementine immediately brightened up.

"Lee! I didn't want to wake you up, so I waited for you." Clem said, jumping up to hug him.

"Hey, girl, thanks for that. Just so you know, if you see or hear anyone or anything, hide. If they get in, make sure you're with Duck or secured in your room." Lee explained. He didn't want to sour her mood, he just wanted her to be safe.

"What if I'm alone..?"

"Then you have to be prepared to kill. I'm sorry you have to be put into that position, but we don't have a choice. Don't worry about it, I'm sure everything will be fine." Lee reassured, patting her hat.

"Yeah.. You're right. Be lucky, please..?" Clementine pleaded, looking up at him. She looked kind of scared which was to be expected.

"I will, Clem, I promise." Lee replied, hugging Clem tightly before letting her go. She walked upstairs, entering Duck's room before closing the door slowly. Lee and Carley began their way outside, where they closed the door and locked it. Lee kept the dog collar in his back pocket so they could come back in, but aside from that he only brought the axe, his pistol and a wrench. They were fresh out of medicine.

Everyone looked at Lee and Carley as they came outside. Vernon approached Lee with a woman, the same young woman from the sewers, and looked him up and down. "This is Brie, she can help us. We both used to be in Crawford and know the location."

"Great, the more the better." Lee responded with a smile, giving the young woman a handshake.

"Thank you. I know the entire layout of Crawford and can guide your group to different sections of the building." Brie informed, already taking on a responsible role.

"That's great! We should be ready in a second. I need to clear up some-"

"Hey, Lee, do you have a second?" Kenny asked out of seemingly nowhere, motioning him towards the shed where the boat was.

"Uh yeah, hold on one sec guys." Lee approached Kenny quickly, looking at the boat, their glisten of hope in a shitty series of nights. "What's up? Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine. There's something up with the boat."

"Is it bad..?"

"Well, it ain't broken. There's a capacity problem. Boat's only gonna fit five people on it. Me, my son and three others, even with one or more being a kid." Kenny stated firmly.

"Shit.. That is a problem." Lee replied, folding his arms as he thought about that. That would only leave one more spot for someone who isn't Lee, Kenny, Clem or Duck.

"Let's not worry about it now, let's focus on getting some gas and a battery. But I will be thinking about who I bring with me."

"Hold on, why do you get to decide?" Lee asked, squinting at Kenny suspiciously.

"It was my idea to come to Savannah, I was the one who suggested a boat, I'm the one with a family, my wife died for this thing, I fixed it, my son found it. Those reasons good enough for ya?" Kenny closed the shed up to hide the boat, walking past Lee coldly. Lee rolled his eyes, looks like he had to make a decision later on down the line. For now, something had bothered him.

Seeing Travis in his dream, abandoned and chewed up.. It sparked some sort of inner fear of Ben getting someone else hurt in the same way. He stared at the teenage boy, who currently wielded a hatchet as he spoke to Chuck. 'I know I told him he could come, but.. What if he screws everything up? I can't risk that. What to do..'

Choices:

A: Ben can come.

B: Sorry, Ben, you have to stay.

Relationships:

Clementine is saddened by your choice and a bit scared, but understands. 8/10

Kenny is happy you kept his son out of harm's way. 7/10

Carley is fully ready to support anything you do. 10/10

Duck is unhappy with your decision to leave him behind. 9/10

Chuck is 100% behind you. He thinks your decision to keep the kids out is actually pretty smart in this situation. 10/10

You aren't too sure about Ben. Would he just screw everything up or should we allow him to prove himself as a worthy, responsible member of the group? 8/10

Travis is happy you left the kids here to protect him. He knows how responsible you can be. 10/10

Molly is a strange one. You'll have to keep your eye on her. 6/10

Carley thinks Vernon might be a danger to the group but you don't really see it yet. He approves of your decision to keep the kids out of this. 7/10

You just met Brie and already like her. 7/10

The stranger may show up at any time. You hope he leaves you alone. 3/10

((Question of the chapter, have you guys seen 404's new fanfic? If not, check it out here:  s/13643444/1/Going-Back


	65. I Got a Bad Feeling About This

Lee sighed, shaking his head. He knew that Ben was too dangerous to bring along, being a teenager and all. Everyone would be safer if Ben stayed and protected the house. Lee approached the kid and stared him in the eye. "What's up, Lee?"

"Ben.. I'm sorry to change my mind, but I think that you should-"

"Stay here?" Ben interrupted, full well knowing this would happen.

"..Yeah. I'm sorry again, but I feel like the entire group would be safer if we brought less people and had at least one competent shooter protecting Omid and Travis with the kids. You get me?" Lee asked, hoping he could raise Ben's morale and let him down easy. He slumped his shoulders and frowned, not a good sign.

"Yeah, I do.. I'm bummed, but I'll do my job right and protect my friends." Ben gave a more confident look, picking himself back up.

"Just make sure nothing happens to anyone." Lee stated in that strict, leader voice.

"You can count on me, Lee. Good luck." That went.. Smoothly! Ben handed the hatchet in his hand to Lee and walked back into the house. Lee, with a much clearer conscience, joined Vernon and Brie at the head of the group, standing in front of everyone at the gate.

"Alright, everyone, listen up because this isn't going to be an easy night. We're going to follow three simple rules to ensure our survival: Rule 1. Stick together. Under no circumstances do you part away from the group. Rule 2. Keep quiet, I don't want to hear a peep out of anyone unless you have something important to say or ask. Rule 3. Keep your weapons ready. Crawford will undoubtedly be on the lookout tonight, and there could be a lot of guards out. Once we get out of the sewers, Vernon will explain the plan. Any questions?" Silence. Everyone looked either terrified or determined, though Lee could guess that even those who were really ready were quivering in their boots. "Good. Let's go."

Meanwhile, Duck and Clem stayed at the house, looking out the window solemnly. Ben popped into their room to check on them but didn't stay long, heading off to Travis' room. Clem was drawing whilst Duck just.. Stared out the window, his pistol held tightly in his hand. The two hadn't spoken since Lee left and they were both in Clem's room, alone. Omid and Travis were in a deep sleep due to the pain, and thanks to the painkillers Vernon was able to give them. It wasn't much, but the cancer survivors couldn't risk giving anything more than two tablets. Luckily that meant Ben wouldn't awaken Travis by opening or closing the door.

"Hey, Duck, wanna color with me? We can have a competition." Clem offered, holding out a piece of chalk. He glanced at it, then at her before shaking his head.

"No, I'll pass. Someone has to keep watch." The boy replied quietly, looking down the barrel a few times and checking the magazine.

"Oh.. Okay." More silence, the sounds of rough material dragging against paper was the only sound in the room aside from the crickets chirping outside. That and Omid's distant snoring from the hallway. Clementine found that a bit funny, but it didn't distract much from Duck's sour mood.

"See anything yet?" Clem asked in a teasing tone, knowing she could get under his skin.

"No, not yet." He responded with a sigh, finding her incredibly annoying at this point.

"Then come on! Let's draw together. Lee said nothing is going to happen and Ben will protect us."

"You don't know that." More awkward silence.

"Duck.." She reached out, looking at him with those classic puppy dog eyes.

"Look, just.. Fine, I'll draw. Gimme a piece of chalk." Going back to a smile, Clementine happily handed him a piece, going back to drawing what appeared to be the train. Duck took his own piece of paper and began drawing a very simple face. This was followed by a circle comprising the head, and a smile. He proceeded to color in the circle yellow, all the while starting up a new conversation with Clem.

Upon arriving at the end of the underground route, Vernon halted the group and pointed towards the man-hole cover. "This is it. Everyone get ready to start sneaking. First we'll stealthily take out anyone in the front, then infiltrate the front doors. We all split up after that to either the medicine, gas or battery. Finally, we'll meet up outside right near this sewer. Anyone not here in an hour will be presumed dead and left. Let's go." The old man explained. Lee opened up the manhole, allowing for himself and Vernon to climb out first.

"Kenny, Lee, you go ahead. The rest of us will watch your backs. No guns unless absolutely necessary." Vernon ordered as the rest of the group carefully clawed their ways out of the manhole. Eventually they all got out and hid behind a nearby wall. Two guards were facing away from the group around twenty feet away.

"Gotcha." Kenny complied, planning out a route of attack with his eyes. Lee followed him, the two spotting a pair of guards standing idly. Kenny brought out a hammer he had found in the shed, whilst Lee wielded the hatchet. Upon finally creeping up to a guard and readying his hatchet, Lee and everyone else in the group was shocked to see a walker! The guards were walkers!

"What the fuck?!" Lee tripped from the shock, landing on his ass. Carley readied her gun to fire but Molly slapped it down to the ground, sprinting towards Lee before giving the walker who was about to go for a lunge a swift swipe of her hook through its skull.

"You're welcome." The blonde woman spoke behind her mask, pulling it off when she realized that there were no human guards. Lee found it weird she wore it in the first place here but there were bigger things to worry about now. Kenny slammed the blunt end of his hammer against a walker's face, causing it to fall to the ground and expire.

"They're all walkers! The place is overrun, we have to get inside now!" Kenny ordered, spotting the front entrance. "This way!" He pointed at the doors, running directly toward them. Walkers began crawling out of the woodworks, most of them wearing the same leather jacket and bandana which may have very well been Crawford soldier attire.

The rest of the group hastily dashed inside, avoiding any walkers until they got into the school. The front doors were slammed shut, and Lee made sure it stayed locked by shoving his hatchet into the door handles. "There, that should.. Hold it." He said, panting aggressively.

"They're dead.. But how?" Brie asked.

"This is good, trust me." Vernon replied.

"He's right, I'd rather deal with brain dead walkers than armed guards." Christa agreed, slowly putting her gun away. She felt more at ease, but they could all still hear banging on the indoor walls. The doors were mostly blocked off though, thankfully.

"Thank god.." Molly muttered, shoving her hook back in it's holster.

"Well.. Did y'all have a plan for if this happened?" Chuck asked Vernon and Brie.

"Our plan actually doesn't change much. It's now just slightly easier. C'mon, I know a better place for us to discuss things." Vernon began leading the group through the hallways of the schools, darkness and growling being the only substance in the depressingly child friendly halls. Carley tapped Lee's arm and pulled him to the side.

"Hey, there's something else I forgot to tell you." She started, causing Lee to shrug.

"Uh, yeah?"

"There's this guy, a shadowy figure. He was stalking us at the mansion while we were burying Katjaa.. You didn't run into him, did you?" Carley questioned.

"Now that you mention it.. That does sound familiar. What did he sound like?" Lee had a sneaking suspicion that this was the same stranger on the radio. Leaving Clem and Duck alone was starting to sound like a horrible idea..

"Not sure, he didn't make a peep. He certainly wasn't a walker." Carley replied, finding that question a bit odd.

"Shit.." Lee hissed, looking down at the walkie.

"Lee, do you know this guy?"

"I.. I'll explain when we get the boat working. To everyone, I swear." Lee answered hastily, forcing a nervous smile.

"Better than nothing, I guess." Carley responded after a couple of seconds of silence.

"I just don't want to start a panic, y'know?"

"Remember Lee, whatever you're hiding will be ten times worse if you don't tell anyone and they find out later." Carley finished, going ahead of Lee as they gathered in a colorful, large classroom with a chalkboard, TV, desks and a door labeled 'Armory'.

"This is it. Does anyone have any questions or concerns before we get into the new plan?" Vernon asked. Now was Lee's chance to warn everyone about the stranger, but.. Should he? What if others get upset at him for not saying something earlier? What if Carley gets upset at his dishonesty? He had to make a choice.

Choices:

A: Confess now.

B: Confess after Vernon's plan.

C: Don't say anything until the mission is over.

Relationships:

Clementine is happy you let Ben stay and overall in a better mood, even if she is still a bit scared of the stranger. Plus, she may or may not cling to the possibility of her parents being alive. 8/10

Kenny is happy that you left 'that fucking shitbird' at the house. Not only are the kids safe, but now he is sure that nobody can fuck this up. 8/10

Carley wants you to spill whatever info you're hiding. 10/10

Duck is kinda mad you left him at the house. 9/10

Chuck wishes you had brought Ben so he could prove himself, but he doesn't mind if it means the mission is safer. 10/10

Ben is kinda bummed you left him behind. He's still determined to stay and protect the kids and his friends. 7/10

Travis is happy you didn't let Ben screw anything up, even if he is unconscious. 10/10

Molly is getting stranger and stranger. She doesn't care about Ben enough to care about your decision. 6/10

Vernon seems nice though what Carley said earlier still irks you a bit. 7/10

Brie is happy to be on the team after realizing her mistake in letting Mark die. 7/10

Christa is okay with you leaving Ben, as she feels like he's a screw up. She just wants to get these meds to Omid as fast as possible. 8/10

Omid awaits your return. 7/10

The Stranger hasn't used the radio in a while, but is for sure still a threat. 3/10

((Question of the chapter, what is your least favorite season and why? I'd go with Michonne for sure but since that isn't really fair, I'll go with New Frontier. Shitty romance, shitty characters (Except for my boys Conrad, Jesus and Javiar) and horrible villains. Not to even mention what they did to a few certain returning season two characters.))


	66. The Confession and Plan

"Actually.. I do. I have something very important to tell you all." Everyone looked toward Lee as he spoke, the leader of the group joining Vernon side by side. He held the walkie talkie up above his head and waved it around for everyone to see. "This thing isn't broken. Clementine lied to me, to all of us to talk to some creep on another radio."

"Are they.. Friendly?" Vernon asked, kind of already knowing the answer.

"No, they know where the mansion is. I know exactly who you're talking about." Carley answered.

"Wait, you lied to us about the radio?" Christa asked angrily.

"No, I just didn't know until after we were separated. Then after that I saw Mark and.. I just couldn't think straight. I'm sorry I held it off for so long, but I just haven't found the time." Lee answered, trying to remain calm.

"Does this bastard know where our group is held out?!" Kenny asked, thinking about his son above all else.

"He does.." Carley butted in, sighing. Kenny became furious.

"You.. You motherfucker, you left our kids there with Ben?!" The father asked, approaching Lee with a glare that could melt a man's skin.

"Kenny, listen, Ben is dependable, he has weapons and can defend the house. Would you rather us have less people on this mission or more people twiddling their thumbs at the house?" Lee asked, raising his hands on defense.

"I guess you're right. I just don't really trust that shitbird." Kenny said, backing off.

"Yeah, well he's gotta be useful somehow. Besides, our kids are crackshots. If anyone tries to get in and Ben somehow fails to protect them, they can defend themselves." Lee added, which was right. The kids were strong on their own too.

"All I'm saying is, if you somehow get Omid killed or god forbid worse, there will be hell to pay." Christa threatened behind gritted teeth.

"I hear you." Lee felt disappointed in himself, but at least he told them just in case.

"Okay, now that that's over.. Let's move on with the plan. The battery will be in the auto shop, the gas will be in the shed by the playscape, and the medicine will be in the-" Brie was cut off by Molly of all people.

"Nurses station, duh." The blonde said, pointing at the map on the chalkboard.

"How did you know that?" Christa suspiciously asked.

"Oh, just makes sense, right?" Molly replied, letting out an awkward chuckle.

"Anyways, here's how we're gonna do things: one person will stay here and guard the room in case anything happens. You can also try and get that armory door open since it'll be a good place to escape." Vernon explained.

"Alright, in that case I'll stay here for now." Carley spoke up. Nobody disagreed so they moved on.

"Next, we'll need two or more people going for the battery near the auto shop." The old leader looked around for volunteers.

"I'll go, I ain't got much athleticism but I'm good with a weapon." Chuck said, pulling out a shovel he took from the yard.

"I'll go with you, keep it balanced." Molly added. Chuck nodded at her and studied the map so he knew where to go.

"Next we'll need two people going to the nurses station. Christa, you and I should go since this concerns us most." Vernon suggested.

"Agreed, I need to know how much medicine we need for the boys." She replied, hand on her hip.

"Guess that leaves me and Lee on the gas." Kenny spoke up.

"Actually, I'll go with you instead. I know the area more." Brie told him, knowing that she was more reliable than Lee when it came to layout of Crawford.

"She's right, Ken, go with Brie." Lee agreed.

"Well, where are you going then, professor?" Kenny asked. It was a good question, what would Lee do? Was there a group that needed help more? Maybe he should just stay here and help Carley open that armory..

"Hm.." Lee wondered, scratching his beard as he looked at his options.

Choices:

A: Stay with Carley and open the armory door.

B: Go with Molly and Chuck to help them find the battery.

C: Go with Kenny and Brie to help them find the gas.

D: Go with Christa and Vernon to help them get the medicine.

Relationships:

Clementine hopes you come back soon. 8/10

Kenny is happy you told the group about the threat to the group, but is still mad you held it in for so long and left Ben to protect his kid. 8/10

Duck is still kinda mad about your previous choice. 9/10

Carley is happy you told everyone so soon. 10/10

Chuck is happy you came clean so he didn't have to. 10/10

Christa is mad that you held that information until now and very worried about Omid. 8/10

Omid hopes you come home soon. 7/10

Ben hopes he can be of good use at the house. 7/10

Travis is praying you save his life soon. 10/10

Vernon is pleased you told your group your secret before anything else. 8/10

Brie is happy to know that you are a smart and responsible leader. 8/10

Molly doesn't care that you were honest. 6/10

The stranger is now a known threat to everyone in the group. Who knows what he's doing right now.. 3/10

((Question of the chapter, is there a choice you hope has a way bigger impact later on? For example choosing to teach Sarah how to shoot. I'm personally very excited about one particular choice in episode five.))


	67. Menacing Figure

At the mansion, Duck and Clementine continued to draw. At this point Ben had left Travis' room and was now guarding the backyard. A big rifle was held in his arms as he scanned the area, drowsiness nowhere in sight. The scenery might have been dark but was still slightly illuminated by the moon.

After a full twenty minutes of sitting outside with a gun in his hand, Ben saw a station wagon pull up near the gate. The headlights turned off but the engine didn't. Soon enough a figure stepped out. "Back the fuck up! Now!" Ben yelled, aiming his rifle at the figure.

"I'm warning you, a-asshole." His quivering voice was concerning to himself. Did he really have it in him? Apparently, this was enough to scare the stranger away, as he was already getting back in his car. The wagon left without a trace, and Ben fell to his knees.

"Thank god.. I hope they get back soon."

Meanwhile, at Crawford…

"I'll go with Molly and Chuck. The more the better, right?" Lee answered Kenny's ominously rude question.

"Works for me. Maybe you can make sure the fossil over here doesn't croak." Molly said with a devilish smirk.

"I can fend for myself, missy." Chuck replied, entertaining the young woman.

"Yeah, on the streets maybe. But how are you against geeks?"

"Geeks? I thought they were called walkers."

"Well, funny story-"

"Alright, we don't have time for this. Let's head out before we're too late. Remember, if anyone isn't here by an hour and thirty, we'll assume the worst. Heads high, people, and good luck." Vernon said, parting ways with the rest of the group.

"Alright, let's go guys." Lee began walking with Molly and Chuck out the door, but was stopped when Carley grabbed Lee's wrist.

"Hey, Lee? I was wondering.. Do you think I could go with one of the groups doing an objective?" She asked, looking directly in her boyfriend's eyes.

"You are, your job is to break down the door."

"I know, but.. We're not in a rush to leave. The walkers are outside, locked out. Everyone else might do fine, but what if they get in trouble? Can't I at least join someone?" Carley seemed like she really wanted this. Lee couldn't help but feel this was because of Mark.

"Carley.. I.." He slowly spoke, unsure of his answer.

Choices:

A: Stay here.

B: You can help Christa and Vernon.

C: You can help Kenny and Brie.

Relationships:

Clementine hopes you come back soon. 8/10

Kenny is confident that you can do this, all of you can. He's also a bit mad about the stranger, but is determined to simply get this over with. 8/10

Duck would love to be at Crawford right now. 9/10

Chuck is happy you're joining him. 10/10

Molly is pleased you've decided to join their escapade. 7/10

Carley wants to do something other than providing an escape. Will you allow it or should she stay here and fix that door? 10/10

Omid hopes you all come back safe. 7/10

Christa is okay with you not coming with her, but would like as much help as possible. 7/10

Ben is determined to redeem himself. 7/10

Travis hopes you all return soon. 10/10

Vernon seems okay with you going with Molly and Chuck. 8/10

Brie kinda wishes you would accompany her. Kenny gives off a vibe she doesn't like. 8/10

The Stranger is a real threat to the group. 3/10

((Question of the chapter, if you could revive three characters to be in our current group, who would you pick?))


	68. Casing the Battery

Lee knew she was right. He said it himself, he couldn't just leave her behind. Leaving anyone alone anymore was a huge mistake. "Carley.. I know you're right. You can help Kenny and Brie get the gas."

"Thank you, Lee. Trust me, it's better for us to all be working toward an objective instead of just trying to break down a lock for half an hour." Carley assured, rubbing his cheek affectionately.

"Right. I'll see you in a bit." Lee replied, nodding firmly. He was scared, but knew she could handle herself.

"Be careful. You've been needing saving a lot lately." Carley finished, winking at him before catching up with Kenny and Brie.

Lee, Chuck and Molly started their journey to the auto parts section, Lee lagging behind the two surprisingly chatty survivors. "So, that's how we met." Chuck stated, a smirk on his face as he looked back at Lee who seemed relatively annoyed.

"Haha, you just walked up to them? I got shot by the boy." Molly replied, showing off the wound on her shoulder.

"You wanna know who taught him that?" Chuck asked, laughing for possibly the first time since he had joined the group.

"Fuck you, asshole." Molly insulted playfully, punching his arm.

"So.. Uh.." Lee started, trying to insert himself into the conversation.

"Yo, Lee, you're the leader of this shindig. How long have you been in this group?" The blonde asked with an entertained smirk.

"Maybe.. Three to four months at this point." Lee answered, having to think about it made him really scared for the rest of the apocalypse.

"Damn. I've only been here two days." Chuck added, scratching his scruffy beard.

"It's not so bad, I suppose." Molly stated. "I got to finally ditch being alone for a change."

"How have you survived this long?" Lee questioned. He couldn't survive this long without his group, that's for sure.

"Being smart, not hanging around large groups of dumbasses for too long, knowing when something is too much to swallow and the bells around town. I ring em whenever I want to go somewhere new, considering the city is so infested." Molly explained, opening the back door that led to an alley.

"So that was you. Smart." Chuck complimented, earning a cocky grin from the hooded woman.

"Thanks, Gramps." She replied snarkily, taking her hook out from her back holster. "The shop should be up ahead. Go on without me, I'll be right there."

"Uh, why? What are you going to do?" Lee asked, concerned that this strange, strong woman was leaving to do something unknown. What if she wasn't as nice as she sounded?

"Take care of something. Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it." Molly answered, already climbing up a brick wall. Lee rolled his eyes and Chuck held him back.

"Don't bother, you'll end up on your ass. Girl's got strength far stronger than us. Let's go." Chuck insisted, helping the teacher regain composure as they headed towards the end of the alley. At the end was a small shed with a ladder inside. No doubt they had to climb this to get to the other side.

"I'll go first, just in case." Charles volunteered, taking out his shovel in case of a walker awaiting them inside.

"Chuck.." Lee reached out, trying to tell Chuck that he didn't have to. He was interrupted by the walkie-talkie going to static. He grabbed it and held it to his ear as Chuck went inside. "Hello? What do you want?"

"Only the best. For Clementine." The creepy, tired voice replied. The sound of the man's voice made Lee's blood boil.

"What..?"

"AH!" Chuck yelled suddenly, being tackled to the ground by a walker hiding in the shadows. It must not have noticed them until now. Lee kicked the mauled corpse away from the old man as hard as he could, sending it flying to the wall. It wasn't dead yet though. It growled at Lee, trying to get back up only for the dark skinned man to hit the creature with his walkie talkie, over and over and over again until not only was the talkie covered in blood, but the walker was unanimated.

Lee helped Chuck up, searching his wrists and shoulders for a bite. "Jesus, are you okay, man?"

"I'm fine.. You saved me, Lee.. Thanks." Chuck panted, not a bite in sight.

"We.. We should climb this thing."

"Good call." The two continued their mission, climbing past the shed. Their next obstacle was to jump a barbed wire fence, which.. Didn't seem like a good idea to Chuck. After Lee jumped, Chuck soon followed, barely getting past the fence and landing on his feet. "Ah! Fuck.. We can't do jumps like that often, okay?" 

"Sorry, man, I didn't realize it'd be so hard to get to this place. It looks like this is the auto shop though." Lee apologized, noticing the garage in front of them. Luckily, the place wasn't out in the open at all, instead it was hidden away by fences and buildings. It was at this point Lee felt the sudden urge to run back to the mansion and check on Ben, Clem and Duck. He knew that was impossible at this point, the mission would be ruined.

"I'll search the area for any dead one's trying to get the jump. You open that garage." Chuck suggested, taking out his shovel again whilst checking the corners of the surrounding buildings.

"Good idea. Watch out for Molly, too." Lee got down on his knees at the garage door, putting all of his strength into attempting to open the door. Hopefully this would also distract him from the ever looming threat of the stranger as well. The door budges, but doesn't open far enough for Lee to be able to keep it open. "Damn, can't get it open.. Hey Chuck, do you see anything that can-"

SPLAT. A body falls from the sky. A pale, balding male wearing a doctor's uniform. It nearly gave Lee and Chuck heart attacks. They were too shocked to move, instead just standing there with gaping mouths. "LEAVE HIM." A voice yelled from the rooftops. No doubt that was Molly. She jumped down from the building , walking past the two men.

"Nice to see ya." Chuck stated simply, checking the gate in front of him to find a few stray walkers across the street. They seemed safe. "Just stay quiet, ya'll." Molly, of course, ignored him.

"..Uh, what's this about?" Lee asked slowly, watching her walk towards the corpse. She began kicking and slicing at the body, ignoring the men. "Molly, Molly!"

"What?!" She yelled, glaring at Lee with blood over her lips.

"I.. Think you got him." Lee answered, folding his arms.

"Yeah.. Just.. One more!" One last strike to his ribs with her foot was all she needed. "..I see you got here fine." She seemed to have regained her cool composure.

"Yeah.. We're stuck here though. You got anything that could help us through?" Lee asked.

"Actually, yes. I picked this up on a rooftop." She pulled out a car jack, something that would definitely hold the garage door further open than a pair of regular human arms.

"We got company. Let's get this done quickly." Chuck warned, a couple of walkers were already on their way to the gate protecting them. Molly propped the jack under the door, propping it open as Chuck and Lee fought off the walkers behind the fence.

"Come on!" She called, crawling inside. Lee and Chuck ran to the door and quickly slid underneath, not even noticing that the victim of Molly's previous assault was already reanimating. The gate was pushed down and walkers were already attempting to get in, so they closed the garage before anything else could happen.

"Well, looks like we'll need a new escape route.." Chuck muttered, stepping away from the door as walkers slammed their palms into the door.

"Whatever, we're safe now. Battery should be here, just look for it. I'll find the escape route." Molly stated, looking up at the roof. "That'll do." Immediately, she found a skylight.

"Alright, that should work. I'll find the battery." Lee got to work, looking around the garage. It didn't take long for him to realize that it was probably in one of the cars, which were lifted up above ground from a hydraulic lift. Turning it off did no good so, Lee grabbed his axe and prepared to swing.

"Phew, thank god you didn't need Hilda. I hate giving her up." Molly commented.

"Hilda?" Chuck asked, wondering who the hell that was.

"My hook. Don't judge." She explained, causing the older male to smirk devilishly.

"Don't worry, I named her Elizah." Chuck pointed at his shovel, chuckling at Molly.

"Hardy har." She imitated, smacking his shoulder. Lee smiled at the two, they seemed to breathe a lot of life into the people around them. It made him hopeful, actually. Finally, he swung at the line connecting the lift and the controls, severing their ties and cutting any power the lift had left. The car was lifted down slowly at first, but then suddenly dropped to the ground, causing the alarm to trigger.

"Shit! Get to the skylight, I'll take care of this." Lee instructed, taking off the hood to the vehicle. There it was, a glorious battery. He quickly screwed off the terminals as Molly and Chuck climbed a semi truck to get closer to the roof. Walkers were trapped outside and couldn't get in, but boy did they sound hangry.

Eventually, the battery slipped out and Lee managed to carry it to the truck. After climbing up, he pulled out his pistol and shot out the glass, shielding his fellow group members from any falling glass. "Perfect. I'll help you guys up, gimme the battery." Molly insisted. Lee saw no reason not to, putting it in her bag. She used her hook to climb onto the roof before lending it down so they could grab a hold of it. Chuck went first, being easily able to shimmy himself onto it. Lee went next, getting up fast.

"Okay.. Now we're on a roof." Lee mumbled, frustrated and worried about Clementine, he just wanted to go as quickly as possible.

"Do you ever stop complaining?" Molly and Chuck asked in unison, giggling like schoolgirls after finishing. "That's our goal." Molly explained, pointing at the school's roof. It was only a hop, skip and jump away.

"Uh.. Not sure I can make that." Charles spoke with worry.

"Here, take Hilda. Make the jump, then throw it back over and we'll do the same." Molly gave him her precious friend, stretching her limbs out to prepare for the jump. "If it makes you feel any better, grandpa, I do this all the time."

"Uh..Okay. If I die, I'm biting the shit outta you, missy." He joked, preparing himself for the jump. With one big dash followed by a jump that he barely makes, Chuck gets on to the roof.

"See? Wasn't so bad." Molly shouted back. Chuck tossed Hilda back to her. "Now watch this, professor." She sprinted towards the edge of the roof before jumping through the air to the next building, using her weapon to latch on to the edge. She pulled herself up and tossed Hilda to Lee's feet.

The leader stared at the weapon for a good four seconds, then stared at the jump and couldn't believe he was in this situation. His brother had jumped rooftops in the past, he was sure he could make it too. "What are you, chicken? Jump!" Molly teased, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"What did you call me?" Lee asked with a threatening voice. Upon looking at the drop, he realized that maybe he was a bit chicken. "Well, now that you mention it…" he backed away a few steps before sprinting to the edge, lunging forward and hooking himself to the edge of the school's roof. Molly and Chuck helped him up.

"Finally.. Alright, let's head in." Lee muttered, panting heavily. His heart was beating a million miles an hour. The three found a hole in the roof and proceeded to drop down, all of them but Molly.

"C'mon now, girl." Chuck told the woman.

"Can't. Gonna go.. Sightseeing." Molly replied sarcastically.

"Wait, you still have the battery!" Lee pointed out, raising his voice. They needed that thing,

"Uh yeah, I'll hold onto it. Make sure you don't run off without me. See ya back in class." Molly scurried away, leaving the two alone.

"Molly!" Lee yelled, sighing and shaking his head with frustration. Chuck placed his hand on the man's shoulder and shook his head.

"She'll be back."

"I guess.. For now, let's try and get that armory door open before anyone else gets back." Lee suggested, heading back to the classroom.

"Sure thing." The two headed back, but were stunned when the front doors were knocked on heavily, and this didn't sound like walkers.

"OPEN THE DOOR!" The voice of Kenny screamed, the knocks becoming more ferocious. Lee ran to the door and took out the hatchet, the glass doors instantly opening. Kenny, Carley and Brie shot some walkers who were getting a bit too close for comfort before shutting the door in their faces. Kenny slammed the hatchet back into place, all three group members were gasping for air.

"Carley, are you okay?!" Lee asked, embracing her fully. Chuck checked Brie and Kenny for bites.

"Y-yeah.. We're fine. There were just a lot of them." Carley answered, blowing out the smoke from her glock. "Ammo, we're running low on ammo.. My gun doesn't have much left."

"Yeah, well uh, neither do any of us really. If I'm being honest, we have more food and water than medicine." Lee admitted, beginning to walk back to the classroom again, this time with everyone else following him.

"We got the gas. Where's everyone else?" Brie asked, following Lee.

"Molly still has the battery, we don't know where she is." The leader answered.

"What? Why did you give it to that girl?" Kenny questioned, the jerry can in his hand.

"She's trustworthy, ain't she?" Chuck asked, opening the door for his friends.

"Well, she did save my life.. Whatever. If she doesn't come back in thirty minutes-"

"Kenny, it's fine." Carley stated, passing by him to get to the chalkboard. After a couple moments of silence, Carley turned to Lee. "Well, what's next?"

"Vernon and Christa aren't back yet." Lee answered, drinking from a water bottle that was half empty.

"So someone should check up on em." Chuck suggested, sitting down at a desk table.

"Well, in that case, who? The rest of us should stay here and break the door down in case more of them things show up." Brie asked, looking around at the survivors in the classroom.

"If Molly is out then that just leaves us.." Lee pondered between his decisions.

Choices:

A: I'll Go.

B: Kenny, you go.

C: Carley, you go.

D: Chuck, you go.

E: Brie, you go.

Relationships:

Clementine hopes you come back soon. 8/10

Kenny is happy you decided to let Carley come with him, she saved Brie's life. 8/10

Carley is very pleased with your choice to respect her wishes. 10/10

Duck wishes he was at Crawford right now. 9/10

Chuck is happy you decided to go with him and Molly, you saved his life. 10/10

Molly is happy you came with them as you are fun to make fun of. 7/10

Ben hopes you come back soon, proud of him. 7/10

Travis hopes you come back soon. 10/10

Christa doesn't mind that you didn't help her and Vernon, she feels like they can find medicine alone but now you're not so sure. 7/10

Vernon is nowhere to be found. We should check the nurse's station. 8/10

Brie is more than happy you let Carley come with her and Kenny; she saved her life. 8/10

Omid hopes you come back soon. 7/10

The Stranger almost got Chuck killed. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: How did you first experience The Walking Dead Game? Through Youtube, playing it yourself or watching someone else play? I watched Pewdiepie play it back in 2013 and ever since then I've played the game maybe forty-fifty times by now? How about you?))


	69. Logan and Anna Correa

"If Molly is out, then that leaves me. I'll go look for them, the Nurse's Station isn't far and that'll give you guys enough time to bust down the door." Lee said, walking towards the entrance to the hallways.

"Sure, we'll get on it." Brie replied. Chuck and Kenny got a couple of tools that would definitely help with brute force, a wrench and a rifle.

"Good luck, Lee." Carley told him as he left, closing the door quietly behind him. Lee found his way to the nurse's station, the sound of walkers somehow getting louder as he neared closer. That's when he discovered an entire group of walkers were smushed up against the room he was supposed to find Vernon and Christa in. He hid behind a wall of cover, taking out his pistol.

After shooting one, the rest began stumbling towards him. Eventually, he managed to take them all down with bullets to the head. He checked his pocket for bullets and was scared to find just two bullet mags left. He loaded the gun with one of them before knocking on the door. "Hello? Christa, Vernon, are you guys alright?"

"Yes, come in!" Christa yelled back, confirming that they were okay. With a sigh of relief, Lee headed in, closing the door behind him.

"What happened?" Lee asked, concerned.

"A couple of them came out from one of the barricaded doors after we checked it for the number combination." Vernon explained.

"Number combination?" Lee questioned.

"Yes, the locker containing the meds is locked! We have no idea what the code is." Christa answered him. She seemed particularly rushed.

"Did you find anything that could help us out, Lee?" Vernon asked. Lee thought back but couldn't think of anything.

"No, just the battery for the boat. Other than that, Carley, Kenny and Brie came back safely with the gas." Lee answered, getting a relieved sigh from Christa.

"Thank goodness."

"Let's keep looking around, there's gotta be a clue at least around here somewhere." Lee suggested. The other two seemed to agree and began looking harder. They had already ransacked the place, but they couldn't give up hope yet.

After searching for about five minutes, Lee found a document. After opening it, it was revealed to be a file from a woman named Anna Correa. "Anna Correa.. She must have been a patient here. And what's this?" Next to her picture was a video tape. "Maybe this could help us out?" He took the tape, found a nearby camcorder and placed the tape inside.

"Hey, guys, come check this out!" The three of them gathered around to view the recording.

**VIDEO FILE 1**

"This is day eighty two since the outbreak, fifteen forty-seven. Doctor Logan in consultation with patient Anna Correa." A doctor that looked surprisingly familiar said to the camera, walking over to the girl.

"Why are you recording this?" Anna asked, her voice seemed worn and quiet.

"Regulations. Oberson has ordered me to keep records of all medical examinations and consultations. I need you to brace yourself, Anna, the sonogram confirms that you are pregnant." The woman paused, beginning to shake in her seat.

"Oh god, oh god, oh god.."

"As you know, the rules are clear: termination is mandatory." He explained, looking through a couple more meds on a nearby table.

"You don't have to tell them, tell them it was nausea and you gave me something for it and it went away. This is my problem, not yours." Anna begged. She sounded hysteric.

"If Oberson found out that I concealed evidence of a pregnancy.. I'm sorry, Anna but these are the rules. I'm gonna give you a sedative, it'll make the procedure easier on you." Logan explained, grabbing a pill bottle.

"I don't want the procedure! I want my baby! I can't do this, I can't do this!" She yelled, sobbing into her hands.

"Anna, you don't have a choice. Now, if you like, you can take some time with this, but I need you to come back no later than tomorrow afternoon. Or I'll have no choice to inform Oberson myself. I'm sorry." Anna runs out of the room just before Logan can get to the medicine locker. After rolling his eyes, the doctor turned the camera off. Lee popped the tape out with a saddened expression, remembering his wishes for a child.

"Damnit, we almost had it!" Vernon cursed, sighing frustratedly.

"What the hell kind of a place was this?!" Christa asked in shock.

"..The worst kind." Lee muttered, shaking his head. "We didn't get the combination in that one, I'll try and find another one. I think I might recognize the doctor in that video as a walker Molly killed near the auto shop."

"Be careful out there, Lee. You have a daughter to go back to." Vernon said with a smile as Lee left the room.

"Thanks, Vernon, but Clementine isn't my daughter. Good luck, guys." Lee corrected, turning back before leaving the room. He found himself going back outside, passing the various signs and deceased walkers that were there before. After checking if the coast was clear, which it was, Lee hopped down past the barbed wire and found the doctor's corpse. Somehow, he was still alive, trying to crawl away from Lee. The man stomped the doctor's head in, ending him once and for all.

"Bingo, another file." Lee found a document in Logan's pocket. Inside was a video tape and a set of numbers written on a piece of notebook paper. "Six, twenty-six, thirty? This can't be the code, Vernon said the combination was only four numbers.." Suddenly, a walker spotted Lee and growled loudly at him, stumbling it's way to the alley from across the street.

"Shit, time to go." He ran back to the school in about four minutes, giving him less than twenty minutes to get back to the classroom, or else everyone else leaves. He made it to the hallways and noticed a locker with Logan's name on it. "Huh, maybe this is what the combination is for. Worth a shot." Lee tried out the combination, and it worked! All that was in there was condoms, a video tape and a bottle of painkillers. He pocketed every item, the condoms for uh.. Future use, just in case.

After closing the locker, he left for the nurses station and found Vernon and Christa scouting the floors and tables for a clue. "Hey, guys, I found two more video tapes."

"Good, hurry up, we can't afford to waste anymore time." Vernon ordered, the three gathering around the camcorder as Lee popped the tape labeled "second tape" in.

**JKSHWHEU (2).CAS**

"Have you made a decision?" Logan asked Ms. Correa, standing over her menacingly.

"I thought you said I didn't have a choice..?" She asked behind quivering, pale hands.

"Well, technically you do. You can terminate the pregnancy, or leave Crawford. Of course the latter would be a death sentence for both you and your unborn child." He explained, taking out the sedatives from the last tape.

"Maybe that's best. I spent all night thinking about this. Why continue to fight or give life to anything during these days? It never ends well. This is what it takes? This is what turns us into?"

"I don't make the rules, Anna." He replied coldly.

"Doctor, I'm begging you, please help me." Anna pleaded, tears dropping down from her face.

"Maybe one day, when things are different, you can try again, but for now, today, we have to do this." Logan proceeded to enter in the code. The trio was careful to examine the exact numbers the doctor put in. Anna bolted up from her seat just as Logan finished and stabbed him in the back.

"N-no.. No…. No…" Gunshots were heard in the background as Anna ran away. Logan dropped to the ground, crawled to the camera and knocked it down on accident, ending the recording.

Lee took the tape out, both saddened and relieved. "Good, we finally got the numbers. I'll get the medicine now." Vernon said, walking towards the closet whilst Christa silently sobbed, walking towards the wall.

"Christa..? Are you okay?" Lee asked.

"Y-yeah.. It's just that the video was sad is all." Christa replied, wiping the tears from her eyes. Lee held out his arms for a hug, his own eyes glistening with tears. The two embraced, comforting each other whilst Vernon grabbed the medicine.

"Are we ready to go?" Vernon asked the two friends.

"There's still one more tape left, I'm gonna watch it to see if there's anything on it. You two go back to the classroom and I'll meet you there." Lee answered, pulling out the third tape.

"Fine, but don't take too long." Vernon said, the two walking out of the room, leaving Lee alone. He popped the last tape in and proceeded to watch.

**VIDEO FILE 0**

The video started with Logan zipping his pants up in front of the camera, then walking towards a woman. That woman was easily recognizable as Molly! She was buttoning up a black jacket she was wearing. "Listen, as fun as this was, I have to put a stop to this little arrangement. This is the last I can give you." He spoke, grabbing a pill bottle from a table.

"What?! Why?" Molly asked, outraged.

"Oberson had someone down here yesterday taking inventory, he's really cracking down, we can't risk it." Logan explained, handing her the medicine.

"We had a deal!" She yelled, getting up from her seat.

"Yes, we HAD a deal. We don't anymore." He replied, seeming to not care about whatever Molly was going through.

"My sister needs this medicine. Without it, she'll die, or she'll start showing symptoms and they'll take her away!"

"I'm sorry, Molly, I've done all I can. I have to look out for myself here." He stated selfishly.

"Yeah, that's the Crawford way, isn't it?" She pushed past him, exiting the room. Logan sighed, shaking his head as he turned off the camera.

"Molly.. Shit." Lee looked around the place for a minute, trying to find anything they may have missed, then headed out the door. On his way back to the classroom, which felt eerie as all hell with all of those trapped walkers moaning at the front door and other closed off classrooms, Molly jumped in front of him from the hole in the roof him and Chuck used to get in.

"Jesus fucking christ! Molly?" Lee asked, unbelievably startled.

"Haha, you should see your face!" Molly laughed, shaking her head.

"Uh.. Nice to see you too." Lee said slowly, remembering the third tape and what he saw her doing on it.

"Pfft, of course it is." She replied cockily.

"Do you have the battery?" Lee asked, folding his arms sternly.

"Oh yeah.. A-about that.." Molly looked away, not speaking. Lee almost yelled at her, but she smiled at him and he realized she was joking. "I'm just kiddin'! Here ya go." The battery was placed firmly in Lee's arms. He put it away in his bag.

"Thanks.." He replied, wincing at her. This felt wrong for some reason.

"Everything okay? You seem on edge."

Choices:

A: I saw what you did.

B: You lied to me!

C: Nothing, I'm fine.

Relationships:

Clementine hopes you come home soon. 8/10

Carley is happy you didn't make her go, though she wouldn't have minded going instead. 10/10

Chuck is fine with breaking down the door, he has the brute strength necessary after all. 10/10

Kenny is happy you didn't make him go. Vernon gives him the creeps and Christa isn't too fond of him. 8/10

Duck wishes he was at Crawford instead of drawing. 9/10

Omid hopes you come home soon, he feels weak. 7/10

Christa is thankful that you came looking for her. 8/10

Vernon is thankful you came looking for him. 8/10

Ben hopes you come back soon. 7/10

Travis hopes you come back soon, he's feeling weak. 10/10

The Stranger is still looming around. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: Who is your favorite character that isn't Lee or Clem? Kenny is my easy favorite, with Luke and Louis being very close behind.))


	70. Oberson Lives

"Molly, I saw what you did, for your sister. You slept with Dr. Logan to get medicine for her. You used to be involved here, right?" Lee questioned, bringing up the number one issue on his mind.

"What? How did you-"

"A video tape. He recorded your conversation. These people really were scum." He kept calm, but could tell Molly was struggling to keep composure,

"Yeah.. Well, don't tell anyone else! It's fucking emberassing. Besides, what I did, while it wasn't morally correct or some bullshit like that, it was for someone I loved. The only person I loved after this shit hit the fan. Me and my sister were all we had." Molly pulled out a picture of her sister. She was a cuter, smaller version of the blonde standing in front of Lee now. "This is all I have left of her. If you're going to hold this against me-"

"Of course not! We all have secrets. Don't worry. And I'm sorry, she's very pretty." Lee thought back to when he held secrets. If it weren't for Carley, he'd still be lying about his identity.

"..Thanks." She said, smiling at the man sincerely for the first time. He smiled back. The sound of a bell going off reminded them of their objective. Molly put the photo away. "C'mon, we should get going."

The two slowly creeped down the hallways, listening in for any walkers attracted by the sound. There were tons yelling from behind closed doors, banging on the wood and glass to escape. That bell was a damn dinner bell, but luckily they couldn't get their meals.

Before reaching the classroom, gunshots were heard from behind the door. Lee and Molly looked at each other with skeptical faces. "Uh.. Maybe they're busting down the door?"

"No, that's an assault rifle. We don't have one of those.. Be quiet, and stay behind me." Lee slowly opened the door, revealing the group hiding behind various pieces of cover. Nobody was shot, but the armory door was open, and some maniac was still inside, shooting at the group.

"My entire group is dead! I'm all that's left, and now you Woodbury bastards are here to finish us off! Well, fuck that!" The man screeched, firing more rounds off before reloading behind cover.

"Lee, we're trapped down here! We opened the door and some asshole shot at us!" Kenny explained, keeping his gun close to him.

"It's Oberson! Crawford's leader! He's way too smart, you need to get him while he's weak!" Brie yelled, firing a couple of shots back behind cover. None hit.

"We can't get a good shot! What the hell are we supposed to do?!" Carley yelled. She seemed ready to shoot. Lee wasn't sure who Woodbury was, but he was certain it wasn't his group. He had two choices here, and neither was gonna be easy.

Choices:

A: Shoot him whilst he's reloading.

B: Try to reason with him.

Relationships:

Clementine hopes you come back safe. 8/10

Carley is ready to hear what you have to say. She hopes you make a smart decision, instead of thinking with your heart. 10/10

Kenny is already pretty pissed, he just wants to get to his son. Deal with this quickly. 8/10

Duck wishes he was doing something worthwhile. 9/10

Molly thinks that you're a good guy and a loyal friend. 8/10

Vernon needs to get to his people, but doesn't want anyone to die. 8/10

Brie just wants you to kill the guy. She hates Oberson Crawford, and instantly recognizes the man. 8/10

Christa wants to get out of here, needing to get this medicine to Omid. 8/10

Ben hopes you come back soon. 7/10

Omid hopes you come back alive soon. He misses his girlfriend. 7/10

Travis hopes everyone is alright. 10/10

Chuck isn't sure what you should do. He doesn't want anyone to die, but knows that it might be necessary. 10/10

The Stranger is the least of our problems right now. Or is he? 3/10

((Question of the chapter: Kenny or Jane or neither? Who did you choose?))


	71. We Did It!

The bullets breezed over the heads of many survivors, the gunfight persisted until Lee finally had an opening. As Oberson reloaded, now hiding behind cover, Lee ran towards him and shot him in the head before he could fully reload the assault weapon. Taking a breather, he signaled for everyone else to come out. "It's fine, he's dead.."

"Good riddance.." Brie muttered, walking past Lee. The leader crouched down and picked up Oberson's weapon, an AK-47 with around ninety bullets left. The rest were scattered across the ground.

"What a waste of ammo. Can you guys find anything else in here?" Lee asked. Kenny and Christa began searching a closet nearby, which did contain some ammo and a pistol.

"Yeah, not much but it's decent. Are we leaving or what?" Kenny inquired, gathering up the weapon and bullets. Lee picked up Oberson's gun and handed his own to Molly.

"I noticed you didn't have a pistol. Take mine, I'll keep this." Lee said, showing off his newest toy.

"Sure, thanks. Not like I need it." Molly replied, pocketing the pistol.

"Alright, everyone move out before the walkers get in!" The group ran up the stairs through the bell tower, finally getting out upon reaching a ladder. Each member went down before hitting the ground and running back into the sewers. Walkers were approaching fast thanks to the bell, so they had to hide quickly.

"I can't believe we did that.. That was amazing!" Carley commented.

"You're telling me. We didn't lose anyone, we got everything we wanted, and those Crawford assholes are gone forever?" Kenny stated in astonishment, a big smile on his face.

"I say we celebrate before going to the water." Lee proclaimed.

"I actually agree with that." Molly replied.

"There's some spare whiskey in the kitchen I found while I was rootin' around." Chuck mentioned.

"It's a date. Vernon, Brie, you wanna come too?" Lee asked, looking back at the two. They had actually reached the cancer survivor hideout.

"Sorry, but I'm stayin' here. We need to discuss some things." Brie replied, opening the entrance to the underground morgue.

"I'll go, but not to celebrate. I have other plans in mind." Vernon said, causing Lee and the others to look at him weirdly.

"Alright, we'll be waiting." Brie told her older friend.

"Here's some of the medicine, get it to our patients. I'll be back in an hour or so." Vernon said, giving her the stuff. She happily took it, looking up at him with a knowing look as if they were planning something. 

"Good luck." She stated, walking back inside.

"Let's go." Vernon commanded, continuing to lead them home.

Upon reaching the mansion, the group were met with Clementine and Duck at the front door. "Lee! I missed you!" The young girl called out, clinging to Lee like glue.

"Hey, sweet pea.. I missed you too. How was everything?" Lee embraced her back, checking her for any signs of harm.

"It was okay. Duck and I drew while Ben kept us safe." Clem replied ecstatically.

"Honey, how's Omid?" Christa asked, kneeling down to her level.

"Yeah, Omid and Travis. Let's check up on 'em." Vernon insisted, heading upstairs with Christa.

"Ya'll do that, I'll handle the boat." Kenny stated, walking towards the shed. Opening it revealed his beautiful boat.

The rest of the group went upstairs, checking Travis' room first. He was actually conscious, with Ben sitting down next to him. "Oh thank god you guys are here!" Ben chirped, getting up from the bed.

"Hold down the fort okay?" Lee asked Ben.

"Guys..? Did you get the medicine?" Travis weakly asked, flickering his eyes wider.

"Yeah, just prep yourself." Vernon replied, shoving two antibiotics in his mouth. Travis swallowed after a few seconds.

"Thanks doc.." The teenager stated, smiling weakly.

"No problem. Get some rest, kid." Vernon suggested, turning his heel towards the others. "We should leave him alone for now. Everyone out."

"Alright, now let's do Omid." Christa said, rushing everyone to his room. He was unconscious, making his girlfriend gasp. "Omid!" She rushed toward him, getting on her knees and holding his hand with her other hand over her mouth. She was devastated.

"Christa, wait!" Carley warned, pulling out her glock just in case.

"I never should have left you.." Christa sobbed, her tears choking out her voice.

"Christa, get away from him!" Vernon yelled. Lee walked over to her and got ready to pull her away. Omid began groaning, causing Lee to jump and force Christa out of the way. Omid opened his eyes and stared at them both.

"..Hey… Miss me?" He croaked out, receiving a hug from the tall woman.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Christa yelped, tears still leaking from her eyes.

"Don't be, babe, don't be.. You got us the meds, right?" Omid asked, staring up at Vernon.

"Hehe, yup. You'll still be a-okay." Lee informed as Vernon gave him the pills.

"Lee, Chuck, Clementine. I missed you guys. How was everything?" Omid asked after calmly swallowing.

"It was scary, but we found a boat!" Clem explained, a bright smile on her face.

"Sweet.. I'm gonna clock out again if that's alright, just one more time. My leg should be feeling better soon though." The short male said, plopping his head down on the pillow next to Christa's.

"Good thinking. Christa, stay in here with him and tell me if anything happens." The rest of the group left the room, closing the door behind them. As Lee left to his room whilst following Clementine, Vernon grabbed his wrist. "Maybe now is the time you and me should have a little talk." Everyone else had cleared the hallways, even Duck after greeting Lee and Vernon zoomed down the stairs to meet with his dad. Once the coast was clear, Lee asked Vernon what the problem was.

"Uh.. Okay. What's up?"

"..Your group is strong, Lee. It's clear you care about your people, this boat, that little girl.. She and you are close?" Vernon questioned.

"Yeah, we've known each other since this all started." Lee said, folding his arms. He got an odd vibe from this..

"I can relate.. But, this plan of yours, hopping on a boat with no destination.. It'll never work out for someone like her. Your group already contains ten people, do you really think you can support everyone on that thing?" Vernon asked, genuinely stumping the ex teacher.

"I- what's your point?"

"My point is.. I'll take her off your hands, she can come with me. You've seen my base. We're well supplied, well hidden and a lot of us have had children of our own. She'd be safer there than out in the open and you know it. Do we have an understanding?" Vernon reached out his hand, ready to hear an answer. Lee was extremely conflicted and very hesitant. What should he do?

Choices:

A: I understand. You'd be great for her.

B: Let me think about it?

C: No way (Passive)

D: Back off, Vernon (Threatening)

Relationships:

Clementine is so happy you're back! 8/10

Duck is happy his father is back. 9/10

Kenny is grateful that you were smart and got this over with as fast as you could. 9/10

Carley is glad you were able to outsmart your foe with ease. You may have saved her from an uncertain fate. 10/10

Chuck feels weird, seeing you murder a man in cold blood like that. Still, you had to do it. 10/10

Molly doesn't really care, but she is grateful that you'll keep the Crawford thing secret. 8/10

Vernon is giving you a very hard decision. He's happy you killed Oberson. 9/10

Brie is extremely happy you killed Oberson. She hated these people. 9/10

Ben is happy you all got back safely. 7/10

Travis is happy you all came back and saved his life. 10/10

Omid is very thankful that you saved his life. 8/10

Christa is happy you shot Oberson, he was a threat to the group and a complete monster. 9/10

The Stranger is still out there. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: Rank every Clem from each season from worst to best! I'd do 3, 1, 2, 4.))


	72. My Answer Is No

Lee shook his head, looking around to see if anyone was around. "Vernon, I appreciate your concern, and I love the fact that there are people like you still in this world. I shot a man just a couple of hours ago and didn't bat an eye. I have a lot on my mind right now, but the one thing I know for certain is that Clementine is safer and happier in a group of people she knows, a group of people who've been with her since the beginning. So, my answer is no. I'm sorry."

Vernon looked down, nodding his head. "I understand. She's very important to you." With a hefty sigh, the old man made his way downstairs. Halfway down, as Lee laid his face in his hand, Vernon looked back up. "You're making a mistake. She can be safe and never have to hurt a soul. We can shelter her."

"No offense, Vernon, but sheltering her has done her no good. I thought you'd know that." Lee replied, staring back pacifly.

"What the hell has the world come to.." Vernon muttered, leaving the house.

"You're asking me." The leader mumbled back, the door shutting behind the old man as Lee thought about Crawford. 'What the fuck did I do? Why did I resort to that so quickly? I should have reasoned with him, should have listened to what he had to.. No. He wanted to hurt the group. He would have killed us. I saved us. If anything, he deserved it. I can't go down this road again, not again.."

"Uh…" Molly was right behind Lee, startling the man. 'Did she hear me? Did I not think that?!'

"Did you-"

"Hear everything? You bet."

"Shit.." Lee shook his head, grumbling to himself.

"Hey, don't worry. I can say for certain that the bastard had it coming to him." Molly assured, fake gagging at the thought of Oberson.

"I don't know.. What's with the bag?" Lee found his eyes lingering on Molly's back. On it was the bag she usually only wore when she was going out, not once did she wear it in the mansion until now. She looked flushed.

"Oh.. I decided to take my leave." She replied slowly, trying to remain cool.

"Why? Kenny's got the boat almost ready and we still have some supplies." Lee asked, walking closer to her. She folded her arms and looked down.

"Yeah, well.. I've always been better without a group, y'know? I've been on my own for as long as Crawford's been weeding out the sick and the old."

"But we care about you, we're not like Crawford."

"I know, but.. I just don't know if I can do this. Besides, I never was a fan of the water." She chuckled. Lee could tell it was fake, but wasn't sure what to say. If she wanted to leave, he should let her, but he really did enjoy her company.

Choices:

A: Molly, please stay with us.

B: Farewell, Molly.

Relationships:

Clementine is really happy you're back. 8/10

Kenny is very happy to have everything he needs for the boat. There are things saddening him that he won't talk about, but overall he likes you. 8/10

Carley is very happy to be in a relationship with you. 10/10

Duck is excited to be out on the water. 9/10

Vernon is displeased with your answer, but understands. 6/10

Brie is happy you and your group are safe. 8/10

Omid is happy everyone came back alive and well. 8/10

Christa is very thankful for your save of Omid. 8/10

Ben is both nervous and excited to follow any orders you need him to. 7/10

Travis is happy to be on your side. 10/10

Chuck is more than happy he finally found a mostly happy group. The last few days have been heavy, but he's happy to be here. 10/10

Molly is thinking of leaving, but she does like you and your crew. 8/10

The Stranger is out there, somewhere.. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: How do you feel about Lee's mental state? Is he ready to become a killer to survive, or is that lifestyle beyond him? My canon Lee only killed Larry and the State Senator outside of random bandits.))


	73. Treachery Or Truth?

He knew that she'd be more comfortable by herself, but what if a group was really what she needed? She seemed to be enjoying most of the group's presence, he wanted her to give them a chance. "Molly, please, just give us one chance? How many groups have you been in?"

"Well, Crawford and yours." Molly answered.

"Precisely. Crawford was ran by a sick fuck who was bitter and survival oriented one hundred percent of the time. We're just a bunch of survivors who have hope for the rest of the world to heal and recompose itself. We're smart, strong together and would love the help of someone as capable as you." Lee said, watching as she looked around for a reason to say no, her face showing cracks in that chill personality.

"I dunno.."

"Just one chance? If you see anything you don't like, you can opt out immediately." She remained silent for a few moments before groaning.

"..Fine, deal. Tch, you must really like me, huh?" She teased. Lee blushed hard.

"Wh- I have a girlfriend!" Lee yelled, not understanding her joke. She laughed at his furrowed brows before walking past him.

"Joking! Calm down, teach. I'll be downstairs then. You should get some rest, really."

"Yeah.. You're right. That mission was draining." Lee yawned, heading off to his room, which was also Clementine's.

"Night!" She yelled, walking downstairs to the living room.

Upon closing the door to their room, Lee found Clementine sitting down on her knees in front of the window, the sun slowly coming up. Smiling, Lee approached her. "Hey, Clem! Can I see the drawings you made while the group was gone?" No response for several seconds.

"Over there." She pointed, a stack of papers on the desk. Lee picked them up and found pictures that made him feel rather uneasy. Her babysitter, Sandra was drawn as a mauled, cartoonish corpse. Katjaa was shown as an angel in a cloudy plain of existence, a bullet hole through her temple. Finally, the last one was drawn extremely well, a picture of Mark as a.. Walker.

"Is everything.. Okay, sweet pea?" He asked, feeling his stomach tick a little from seeing Mark and Katjaa like that. He was surprised the kids were acting so.. Dark.

"Just thinking, Lee." Clem muttered back, touching the window sill.

"About what?" Lee questioned, sitting down on the bench across from the window.

"The train." Oh, so we're playing this game?

"Uh, what about the train?" He asked, still not getting what she meant.

"What you said, our plan that you went over with me."

"Oh.." Shit.

"You said we'd find a safe place to live until this blows over, but ever since Duck found the boat, that's all you can think about. Did you lie to me, Lee? Why did you lie?" Clementine asked, looking back at him. She sounded sort of hurt.

"O-of course not!" Lee defended, hesitating as he spoke.

"Really? Then say it to me, tell me our plan. I don't wanna go on the boat, Lee.. It scares me." She whispered, awaiting a response from her guardian. Lee really had to make a decision here. He and the rest of the group had been dead set on finding a boat, but not only could it only fit five people, but Lee wasn't even certain if he liked the idea. What to do..

Choices:

A: Don't worry, we won't.

B: I'm sorry, Clem. We have to.

Relationships:

Clementine is really happy you're back and all, but feels as if you've lied. Is that true? 8/10

Kenny is very happy to have everything he needs for the boat. There are things saddening him that he won't talk about, but overall he likes you. 8/10

Carley is very happy to be in a relationship with you. 10/10

Duck is excited to be out on the water. 9/10

Vernon is displeased with your answer, but understands. 6/10

Brie is happy you and your group are safe. 8/10

Omid is happy everyone came back alive and well. 8/10

Christa is very thankful for your save of Omid. 8/10

Ben is both nervous and excited to follow any orders you need him to. 7/10

Travis is happy to be on your side. 10/10

Chuck is more than happy he finally found a mostly happy group. The last few days have been heavy, but he's happy to be here. 10/10

Molly will stay after all, she's happy you and your crew like her. 9/10

The Stranger is out there, somewhere.. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: What is your favorite scene in the Walking Dead history? Mine is in episode five of season one where Lee, Kenny, Christa, Omid and Ben (Determinately) talk in the attic. I love scenes where the characters get to know each other, really bond and connect. Season two episode five also has a scene similar to this one, and season four is filled with them.))


	74. New Plan, Screw the Boat

"Don't worry. We won't. With everything that's happened lately, I guess I allowed my judgement to get clouded by the one bit of good luck we've had since the Motel. I just need to warn you Clementine...Kenny is set on leaving, and I'm not sure if I can exactly convince him otherwise. Duck will probably go with him so...just...I need you to know I'll never leave you sweat pea. I'm sorry if I've given you the wrong idea." The two shared an embrace, Clem and Lee both allowing tears to shimmer down their eyes. Were they sad? Hopeful? Happy? Maybe all three.

"Can you tell the group..? I don't want to just leave them." Clem asked, clutching her hands together.

"Sure, I'll get everyone to meet outside." Lee smiled, wiping both of their tears away. Hand in hand, the iconic pair made their way to each room, knocking and letting them know there was a group meeting. Once he had told everyone, he went outside where Kenny and Duck were.

"Heya, Lee. You excited to hop on the boat?" Kenny asked, friendlier than usual. Lee was happy to hear that, even if his mood may sour soon.

"Actually, uh, Kenny.. We're having a group meeting about that." Lee replied, scratching his neck awkwardly.

"Woah, my first group meeting? Sweet!" Duck cheered.

"About the boat..? Okay then." Kenny shrugged, making the final touches.

Once everyone had gathered outside, including the now much healthier Omid and Travis. Lee stood in front of them, with Clem by his side and the boat finally in working condition. It brought a smile to the man's face. "Okay, what's this about?" Molly asked impatiently.

"Last night, almost all of you went on a deadly mission to retrieve medicine and supplies for the boat. I think you all did amazing out there, and I'm very proud of our group." Lee stated with a smile.

"Hell yeah, are we celebrating or what?" Omid asked, causing Lee's smile to drop.

"Well.. Not exactly. Clementine and I will not be using the boat." A sea of gasps and skeptical looks washed over the group.

"Why?" Carley asked, approaching her lover.

"For one, the boat has a capacity problem. Only five people can be on it, and our group has well over that number. Secondly, Clementine and I have other plans. I'm giving you guys a choice: You can get in the boat with Kenny and Duck, or you can stay with Clem and I to find a safe place to call home, outside of Savannah." Lee explained, folding his arms across his chest.

"Sorry, man but.. You know I came to Savannah for this boat. My wife died for this boat, and no offense, but you haven't always been there for me." Kenny spoke up, walking to the shed to represent his side, those who would come with him.

"I.. Understand. Good luck out there, Kenny." Lee slowly spoke.

"You too, Lee." He responded, waiting for his son to join him. Duck sighed, looking back at Lee.

"Goodbye Lee and Clementine. I'll draw you guys a lot!" Duck said, hugging an already tearing up Clem.

"Me too.." She responded, leaving the embrace seconds later.

"Well, I think it's pretty obvious I'm sticking with you." Carley said, kissing Lee on the cheek. He smiled at her.

"Of course, you can't live without me." Lee teased, holding onto her side.

"Haha, very funny."

"How about you, Chuck?" Lee asked his homeless friend.

"Hm.. Well, you haven't killed me yet, I trust you and I'm not too big of a fan of Kenny's plan anyways. I'll join ya." Chuck answered, smirking at the leading man.

"No fair, now I have to join." Molly joked, joining Lee's group. Kenny looked on with a stare of jealousy, but subverted his attention to Ben and Travis as they approached him.

"You two wanna join me? After all I've said and done?" Kenny asked, taken aback.

"Sure, I trust this plan more than going out in the deathtrap called Savannah." Travis stated with disdain. He didn't dislike Lee, he loved the guy, but he had to say that his plan was reckless, even if Kenny's was no better.

"And.. I just don't want to screw up anymore." Ben muttered, twiddling his thumbs.

"Whatever, try not to get us killed, Ben?" Travis stated, rolling his eyes at his friend. Ben playfully punched his shoulder, sorta surprising the kid.

"How about you guys?" Lee asked Omid and Christa. The two were conflicted but eventually confidently marched up to Lee's group.

"We're definitely with you guys. I've hated this boat plan from the moment I heard about it. Besides, if we leave the city, that strange guy on the radio wouldn't be able to track us." Christa answered.

"Hells yeah, we're with you guys one hundred percent." Omid agrees with a smirk.

"Thanks, guys.. I think that's all for now. Everyone should get some rest, it's been a long night, and we'll all need our strength for the morning." Lee suggested, beginning to walk inside.

"Yeah, we'll stay for a few hours too. Then, we're splitting the supplies and leaving." Kenny declared, following the rest of the group inside.

"Sure, sounds like a plan." Lee replied

"See you later, losers." Molly snickered, walking inside first.

"Why are you still even here?" Christa asked the blonde haired woman.

"Because I want to. Ain't that fair enough?" She replied sarcastically, heading off to the living room, where Chuck took out his guitar and began playing on the couch.

"I'll see you all in a few hours." With that, everyone went to pack, relax or rest. Lee ended up sleeping with Carley, whilst Clem slept in the same room on a separate cot. Lee's dream was much darker that night, something he deeply feared dwelled in his unconscious thoughts.

A hooded man grabbed a smaller figure, who's voice no doubt belonged to Clementine. She screamed out as she was dragged further and further into a dark void.

Lee jolted awake when the dream ended, startling Carley awake. "H-huh, what's wrong?"

"Where's Clementine?" He asked quickly.

"You had another nightmare, huh? She's right here, don't wor-" Carley stopped herself when she saw that Clementine's sleeping spot was vacant. Lee stood up, worry swimming over him as he darted out of the room. "Lee, wait!"

"CLEMENTINE!" Lee yelled, running downstairs to search the kitchen and knock on the bathroom door, yet there was no sign of the girl. Urgently, he sprinted outside, searching the yard while calling her name. It didn't take long for him to find her hat.. Oh god.

"Clementine, Clem! Where are you!?" He called out, picking up the accessory. A noise called back, the static of a walkie talkie. Lee looked in his pocket and found that the device was gone from his pockets. Hastily, and without thinking, Lee jumped the fence and walked toward the noise, no walkers in sight was good, and there was the walkie talkie! He tried picking up the talkie, since it was still on. "Hello?" CHOMP.

Lee was startled when a walker chomped into his wrist, pushing away the creature and stomping it's head in order to kill the corpse. In the scuffle, he dropped Clem's hat, and although the pain in his wrist alerted him to his new mark, as he lifted up the hat he finally got a good look of what it really was, putting any other theories to bed: He was bitten. "No.. No.. No, oh fuck.. Oh fuck..!"

"Lee? Are you out here? Lee!" Carley called. It looked like the rest of the group was with her, too. Shit, what if they see the bite?! Would they kill him like they did Mark? No.. I have to be strong, right? Oh fuck.. Where the hell is Clementine? Was it Vernon? Maybe it was. They're coming over here now! What do I do?!

"Lee? Where's Clementine? Carley says she's not in her room." Ben asked, approaching fast.

"Are you okay? Who's blood is that?" Carley questioned.

"Is that her hat?" Christa asked, her question punching him in the gut.

"Lee? What's going on?" Kenny demanded, almost at his shoulder.

Choices:

A: Show the bite.

B: Conceal the bite

Relationships:

Clementine is missing, who the fuck took her and how?! 9/10

Kenny feels a little sad you'll be splitting up after so long, but is determined on getting outta here. 8/10

Duck is sad to go, but knows that his dad would never let him stay with you. 9/10

Carley respects your decision and is ready to find a home with you. 10/10

Molly is up for whatever, she actually likes your decision a lot. 9/10

Chuck is ready to take on Savannah with you. 10/10

Ben can't go with you, he's not fit for that world. The boat is much safer and something he can't possibly mess up. 7/10

Travis likes you a lot, but isn't willing to go on a death march. He knows a bad idea when he sees one. 9/10

Vernon may have taken Clementine.. He's going to pay! 4/10

Brie's status is unknown. 8/10

Omid is 100% behind you. 8/10

Christa really likes your new plan. 8/10

The Stranger is still out there, maybe he was the one who took Clem? 3/10

((Fun fact: This chapter went through two rewrites before I decided what I wanted the consequence of your choice to be. Question of the chapter: Do you think Lee will die? Before I mentioned there would be three unsavable characters, but after this rewrite I decided to narrow that number down to two, and they're both completely different characters. With that being said, will Lee bite za dusto?  
Credit to 404 for the intro dialogue btw, major props dude!))


	75. The Bite Needs to Go

Lee turned around before anyone could get too close, his eyes unmoving from the bite mark on his skin. "It's mine.. It's my blood."

"No, you don't mean..?" Carley hesitantly asked, covering her mouth in shock.

"Yes. I've been bitten. But that doesn't matter now, Clementine is gone." Lee replied, shaking it off despite his quivering fear of dying or worse, turning.

"Yes it matters! Holy shit, dude, you're fucking bit!" Omid yelled, pointing directly at his wrist.

"I know, goddamnit! But what matters more is- Hey!" Lee was suddenly grabbed by Carley, who jolted him across the sidewalk, leading him and the rest of the group back to the mansion.

"Come on, we're not letting you die. Not like that old bastard did to Mark." Carley demanded, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"W-what? You don't mean-" He received no response, Clementine's now blood splattered hat in one hand and the talkie in his pocket. The rest of the group crowded around him, curious as to what Carley would do. Mark had only told Carley about the whole cutting off dilemma, so she had no other choice. They finally entered the house when Carley answered him.

"We're cutting your arm off, no more questions. Ben, get me a tourniquet. Kenny, hold him still." She brought him to the counter, with Chuck closing the door behind everyone else. Lee looked like an animal caught in headlights when she stated his fate.

"Are you serious?! You'll kill him!" Travis panicked, stepping away quietly.

"Kid, shut up and get Duck in the other room, now!" Kenny demanded. His son looked terrified, so Travis hesitantly brought the young boy to the living room.

"Y-yeah, okay, c'mon.."

"Carley, please, w-wait!"

"I'm sorry, hon, there's no other choice.." She kissed him on the lips softly, holding his hand. "Christa, you're in charge of cutting it off."

"What?!" The woman was bewildered. Was this really happening?

"Do it, now." The reporter responded sinisterly. "Molly, get the gauze and alcohol from your bag."

"What? How do you know I-"

"Just get it!" Carley demanded, causing the athletic woman to sprint upstairs.

"J-just get it over with, don't cut too high, and please, please, knock me out."

"That would take too long. I'm sorry, pal." Kenny said quietly, holding onto Lee's back and arm with the help of Omid.

"This is crazy." Ben stated, tying the tourniquet around Lee's left arm.

"Just relax.." Carley whispered as Christa grabbed Lee's axe from his bag. "It's gonna hurt, a lot, but just relax.."

"No, wait, hold-" CRUNCH

"AHHHH!" Lee screamed in pain, everyone surrounding him just as Molly came into the room.

"Holy shit.." She muttered, placing the stuff next to Carley.

"F-FUCK! S-STOP!"

"I can't!" Christa snapped, taking the axe out of his arm before swinging it again, smashing through his bone. Lee's eyes went wide before he passed out, bone and blood all over the kitchen counter. One last swing cut the last of his wrist off, destroying the bite and quite possibly saving his life.

Christa walked away to the bathroom, dropping his axe and running to the toilet to vomit. "Christa! Are you guys gonna be alright?" Omid asked, letting go of the unconscious Lee.

"We'll be fine, just go. Kenny, keep ahold of Lee while I patch him up, Chuck take off the tourniquet." The two listened to Carley's demand, the binding on his arm was torn off, and Kenny maintained grip of Lee as he struggled to stay on the counter. Finally, Carley managed to clean his wound and sort of stop the bleeding, bandaging him up.

"There.. That should do.." Carley stated, letting go of Lee's hand. She helped him up with the assistance of Kenny and Ben.

"Carley.. Lee mentioned that Clementine is missing. Who or why do you think she left?" Ben asked, concerned it was the stranger.

"I"m not sure, could be that strange silhouette guy Lee was talking about. Here, let's put him on the couch." Carley was more focused on saving Lee, despite the fact that Clementine was just as important, and even more important to the man in question.

"I have a feeling I know who it was." Molly intercepted, putting what was left of her medical supplies, a couple painkillers, in her bag. Medicine was already out again.

"Who?" Carley asked, raising a brow.

"Vernon. He and Lee were talking last night about her. He offered to take her away, and Lee said no. Must've pissed the geezer off." Molly answered, rolling her eyes. She didn't know he had it in him to kidnap Clem.

"Then that's where we'll go first. We'll need a full team." Carley replied, taking the walkie talkie before sliding it into her coat pocket.

"You can't just go by yourself?" Kenny questioned.

"Are you crazy? She'd die, or get lost." Chuck said.

"Hold on, that reminds me, who was keepin' watch?" Kenny asked skeptically, Chuck and Molly looked at each other awkwardly.

"Uh.. That would be us." Chuck admitted slowly, barely able to look at Ken.

"You just let Clem go?! Chuck, what the fuck?" Kenny yelled, his fists clenched.

"Hey, it's not his fault, it's mine. I distracted him." Molly butted in, defending her friend.

"We could have died because of you dumbasses!"

"Kenny, calm down. We need to think of a plan. Arguing isn't going to save Clementine. So.. Here's what we're going to do: We're going to find that manhole Vernon took us to, knock on his door and fight for Clem if we have to." Carley explained, pacing around the room with everyone watching her. Lee's blood coated her jacket.

"Okay.. What about Lee?" Travis asked, still holding the hand of the nervous Duck.

"Yeah, kids right, somebody has to stay behind and protect him and the boat." Kenny agreed, staring at Carley for an answer.

Choices:

A: Choose three people to stay behind

B: Tell Kenny and his crew to leave while they still can and have two people stay behind.

C: No one stays behind except for Lee.

Relationships:

Clementine is gone, what the hell happened to her? 9/10

Duck is nervous, he wants Clementine to come back and is scared of Lee's condition. 9/10

Carley is happy you showed them the bite, she may have saved your life. 10/10

Chuck is happy you remained smart and honest. 10/10

Molly is shocked you were bitten, but happy to know you were brave enough to show it off. 9/10

Kenny is very worried for you, he's happy you showed him your bite. 8/10

Christa feels sick, but not because of your arm. She likes that you took responsibility and showed the bite. 9/10

Omid is more concerned for you two than anyone else right now. He'll do anything to help, especially since you've been so honest. 9/10

Vernon may have taken Clementine. 4/10

Brie's status is unknown. 8/10

Ben has no idea what to do, he'll basically do anything to not screw up. 7/10

Travis feels bad for you. He likes that you were honest with everyone though. 10/10

The Stranger is still out there. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: How many hours of sleep did I get before finishing this chapter?

Real question: Is there a minor character you wish got more screen time? I'd go with Andre from episode one of season one or Marlon from season four.))


	76. Goodbye, Kenny

Kenny made a good point, but Carley had an even better idea. "How about you go."

"What do you mean?" Kenny asked, scratching his chin nervously as he watched Lee's breath. He seemed panicked, even in sleep.

"You and your group get the boat and leave. It'll be safer for you guys to go now." Carley suggested. Kenny, Ben and Travis looked shocked from this, Duck looked disappointed.

"Are you crazy? What about Clementine?" Ben asked worriedly. He didn't want to screw up, but he also wanted to save Clementine.

"We've got it covered, you'll just slow us down. I mean it, all four of you go, and Omid and Chuck can protect Lee." She answered confidently, Christa and Omid had just entered the room.

"What about Christa?" Omid asked, getting an answer from his significant other.

"I'll be fine. I can go, for Clem." Christa replied. Omid stayed silent.

"Carley, I.. But-" Ken tried to speak but was interrupted.

"Kenny, I'm giving you this opportunity. There's a herd here now, in case you didn't know, a big one that managed to take down a small army and forced survivors into the sewers. Mark died from these things. Please, take the kids and leave before it's too late.." Carley begged, her hands clasped together. Kenny was shocked, almost nobody was this nice to him since the walkers started popping up. He nodded his head slowly.

"Okay.. Okay.. Kids, do you have your stuff packed?" Kenny agreed, looking back to Duck, Ben and Travis.

"But dad-"

"Duck, do you have your stuff packed?" Kenny asked again, this time with an obvious strain in his voice. He looked at the floor, hiding his face. What was wrong with him?

"Y-yeah.." Duck replied, showing him his small backpack of stuff. They had gotten the bag from Fivel, the walker upstairs.

"Ben, Travis.. Help us get our bags in the boat. Then, we'll push her to the dock." Kenny commanded. Ben and Travis looked at the rest of the group.

"Goodbye, guys.. Tell Lee we'll miss him." Travis said, walking outside. Ben walked up to Lee and sighed.

"You will find her, you'll find her and you'll all be fine. I swear, with me gone.. Everything will be better. Goodbye." With that, the teenager left. Kenny followed behind them, not saying a word, his fingers quivering. A tear dropped from his face as he exited. The house was quiet now.

"Me and Omid got things covered, y'all should be okay findin' the place." Chuck confirmed, settling down on a couch across from Lee's.

"Thanks, grandpa." Molly said, teasing him. He perked up a smirk.

"Take good care of him, guys. Don't let a soul in the house." Carley ordered.

"You got it." Omid nodded, a gun by his side. He didn't like using them, but if he had to, he would.

"I love you, honey.." Christa said, wrapping her arms around his neck from behind the couch.

"I love you too, babe. Good luck finding Clem." He replied, kissing her on the lips. She pulled back, beginning to walk out the door.

Carley stared longingly at Lee before clearing her throat and loading her glock. "Let's go."

Half an hour later, they were at the door to the hideout. Carley, Christa, Molly, the three strongest women on the most dangerous mission they had been on since Crawford, which was only yesterday. "This is it, get ready." Carley whispered, grabbing her glock from her pocket. The other two grabbed their own guns, right behind Carley, they aimed at the door. Molly kicked the door down, only to find.. No one? A dark room with nobody there.

"Vernon, out now! Give us Clementine and nobody needs to get hurt!" Carley yelled, walking inside, her arms held high with the gun firmly in her hands. Suddenly, a voice came from the walkie talkie.

"Lee? No, you're his bitch.. Hello." The stranger spoke, his voice as groggy as usual. Molly closed the door behind them.

"Who the hell is this? Vernon?! Where's Clementine?!" Carley yapped, her eyebrows furrowed and her fist clenched around the talkie.

"This isn't Vernon, and you should really watch your tone." He paused, everyone looked at each other in shock.

"Clementine is fine. But if I were you, I'd pick my next words very carefully." The girls eyes were on Carley, she had so many things she needed to say, words of hate, fear, worry.. What to say?

Choices:

A: "Please, don't hurt her."

B: "Where are you?"

C: "If you touch her, you're dead."

D: Stay silent

Relationships (Carley):

Lee is dependent on you right now. 10/10

Clementine is gone, it's your job to find her: 8/10

Duck has left the group. 7/10

Kenny has left the group. 7/10

Ben has left the group. 9/10

Travis has left the group. 10/10

Vernon is missing.. Where is he? 5/10

Brie's status is unknown. 7/10

Molly trusts you, considering you're smart AND Lee loves you. 6/10

Christa trusts you more than anyone else in this group, she thinks you're the smartest one here. 9/10

Omid hopes you guys come back safe. 8/10

Chuck will protect Lee with his life. 10/10

The Stranger has Clementine, we were wrong about Vernon. 0/10

((Question of the chapter: Did you enjoy episode four? This was the longest chapter by far, and one of the funnest ones to write! Next chapter will be Bonnie's story and then the choice results, followed by episode five! Hope you're all excited as I am!))


	77. Bonnie's Story

220 Days In

It's a rainy night, two people stand near a tree. Their names are Bonnie and Leland. They were waiting for Leland's wife, Dee. "Would you rather have a snake for a tongue.."

"Are you serious?" Bonnie interrupted the older man, rolling her eyes.

"...Or lobster claws for hands?" Leland finished, arms crossed with an amused grin on his face.

"You're so bad at this." She stated, shaking her head.

"Just answer the question." He replied, chuckling at her comment.

"Hm.. Lobster Claws. Better than having a snake for a tongue." She answered.

"True that, nobody would want a kiss from you with a tongue like that."

"Gee, thanks big ears." She teased. The laughing died down.

"Hehe, alright, alright. How about.. Nah, nevermind. I've done enough messing around with stupid hypotheticals." Leland looked around, still no sign of Dee and camp was still pretty far.

"Aw, c'mon, you're a lot less fun without em."

"You seem a lot more fun. How you feeling? Not gonna lie, when we first saw ya, I thought you'd never recover." He asked with genuine concern.

"Yeah, I'm a real poster child. I've been good lately, thanks to you guys." Bonnie explained, smiling lightly. Her past was not a good memory.

"You look good lately too.." He replied, rubbing his knuckles alongside the redheads pale cheek, inches away from his face.

Choices:

A: Flirt back

B: Decline him

Relationships (Bonnie):

Leland is very close with you. 9/10

Dee is actually quite nasty toward you, though so far you don't have the slightest clue. 5/10

Relationships (Carley):

Lee is depending on you to save him. 10/10

Clementine also depends on you, it's your job as "mama bear" to find her. 8/10

Vernon is missing. 5/10

Brie's status is unknown. 9/10

Molly sorta trusts you. 6/10

Christa has always viewed you as the smartest in the group. 7/10

Omid hopes you guys come back safe. 7/10

Chuck is willing to help Lee and Clem in any way he can. 7/10

The Stranger has Clementine, we have to find him. 1/10

((Sorry for the delay, followed by a short chapter. Bonnie's chapter is hard to make fun choices for. In addition, I had a bit of a bad day yesterday. Any kind of support would be appreciated. Thank you.))


	78. The Bag

Bonnie pushed Leland's hands away just in time for Dee to show up. "Leland, you know I don't feel that way."

"R-right.. Sorry. That was dumb of me." He looked down, scratching himself in the back of the head awkwardly.

"Bonnie, Leland?" Dee called, catching them only inches apart.

"Dee, uh, hey." Leland greeted, startled from her sudden entrance.

"Hey.. I found something along the road." Dee notified, showing off a backpack. She sounded quite suspicious.

"Ooh, supplies? Food? I would kill for a hot meal." Bonnie asked, licking her lips already.

"You're tellin' me. It's a surprise, I'll show you when we get back, then you can talk more to your, uh, 'girlfriend.'" The three began their way back to camp, rain pouring down on their heads under the dark, night sky.

"Girlfriend?" Bonnie whispered to Leland. He just shrugged.

"What were y'all talking about anyways?" The woman asked, clearly trying to siphon dirty info.

"Just ultimatums." Bonnie answered quickly to avoid suspicion.

"Hm, interesting." Dee muttered sarcastically.

"Just passin' time, darling." Leland said, letting out a short chuckle.

"Mhm, I see.." What's with her? The trip went dead silent, save for the rain and sound of mud hitting their feet.

"Oh, Dee? I was wondering, did you have any more nail polish? I could use a new coat." Bonnie asked, breaking the silence. She showed her bland, colorless nails to the woman.

"Sure, hun, you like this color?" Dee asked, showcasing her own pink nails.

"Yeah, plus I feel awful in the rain like this." Bonnie replied, finally getting a decent conversation with this stubborn woman.

"Ugh, tell me about it. I feel like a drowned rat with these claws." The two shared a laugh. Leland walked faster to catch up with them.

"Not to interrupt the girl talk, but Dee, that bag."

"What about it?" She asked, frustrated at her husband.

"You're being real secretive about it. I don't understand why we have to wait." Leland confronted.

"Where did you get it, anyways?" Bonnie asked curiously.

"I told you, up the road." Dee insisted. There had to be more to it, no one was that lucky.

"Did you steal it?" Bonnie asked, onto Dee's case.

"Excuse me?" Dee asked, shocked at the question.

"Bonnie's right, if you stole it we have to know." The old man agreed, folding his arms and stopping in his tracks. Dee did the same.

"You two sure do love ganging up on me lately, huh?" Dee asked, furrowing her brows at the two.

"No, it's just that we have a right to know." Leland defended.

Oh sure, you and your girlfriend aren't always on each other's sides? When was the last time you agreed with me in the last week, hell the last month?!" Dee quizzed angrily, raising her voice. 

"Well.. I can't remember an argument we've had specifically, but I know I have!" Leland fumbled with his words, raising his voice as well.

"False! This is how all of our arguments go. You and Bonnie gang up on me, and I'm left to fend for myself!" Dee was practically yelling now. The two began arguing, leaving an awkward Bonnie to just gawk. She was sorta fed up with this, and was thinking of just walking to camp alone, until she heard footsteps a little while back.

"Uh.. Guys, someone's coming.." Bonnie stated, trying to get their attention with her much softer voice.

"And now we're standing out here in the goddamn rain, arguing!" Dee lashed out.

"We wouldn't be arguing if you weren't so secretive!" Leland spat.

"Guys, please, stop." Bonnie's voice was barely heard by the couple.

"That makes two of us, cheater!"

"Excuse me?!"

"Leland, enough! You can't win this! Let's just go home and discuss things in a safer environment." Bonnie yelled, finally being heard by the two. The footsteps stopped.

"..She's right. I'm sorry." Dee said slowly, sighing.

"Bonnie, darling, I-"

"Darling!?" Goddamnit Leland.

"Dee.. Come on.." Leland struggled coming up with a defense for what he had said.

"Save it, I know which side your bread is buttered on. Bonnie, come on." Dee actually wasn't mad at Bonnie, but furious as her husband. He lowered his head.

"They went this way!" A feminine voice yelled out.

"Oh shit. Come on, let's go, we gotta move." Dee looked like a deer in headlights. She grabbed Bonnie and made a mad dash for the hill outside of the forest. Leland followed after them, but they were going way too fast for him.

"W-wait, Dee, what about Leland?!"

"Screw him, he can find his own way back, we gotta move!" Dee responded quickly, tugging Bonnie along. A gunshot was heard by the two. They looked back to find Leland on the floor, holding his shoulder in pain.

"Leland! No!" Bonnie struggled to reach for him, but Dee prevented her from marching into that death trap. Eventually, Dee was able to bring Bonnie down the hill and into a nearby corn field. They crouched down, sneaking past multiple men and women with flashlights. Some of them spoke to each other, some of them almost caught them. No sign of Leland though. Eventually, they made it to a tractor they were able to hide behind and catch their breaths.

"We have to go back for him!" Bonnie whispered to the wife.

"No way, we'll die!" Dee selfishly countered.

"He's your husband!" Bonnie argued.

"He's not faithful, he'd do the same to me." Dee stated sadly, looking at her wedding ring. She hated it.

"You know that ain't true." Bonnie whispered angrily, scared and frustrated with the woman. Dee didn't know what to say.

"Hey, thief! We got one of yours! Show us the bag and we'll spare his life. This doesn't have to get anymore violent than it already is." The leader of the group yelled, holding a gun up to the whimpering, shivering old man.

"G-girls, just run! Quick, before they find you!" Leland croaked, panting from the pain.

"We don't want to kill him, but if we have to.. We will." The mysterious man holding Leland hostage said. He did sound remorseful but what if they really would die?

"Don't even think about it." Dee whispered.

Choices:

A: Sneak away

B: Reveal yourself.

Relationships (Bonnie):

Leland is sad you rejected him, but understands. 8/10

Dee is happy you declined her husband, proving to her you're more than a homewrecker. 7/10

((Question of the chapter: Do you like Bonnie? I personally think she's okay. Not my favorite certainly, but I don't hate her.))


	79. Dee the Coward (EP 4 alt choices)

Bonnie stole the bag off of Dee's shoulders and got up anyways, shocking the older woman. "Bonnie, get down right now!" She yelled quietly, panic in her eyes.

"It's alright, we surrender. Take your bag back." Bonnie slowly approached the group, an older balding male holding Leland captive with a shaky pair of hands.

"A-alright.. Thank you for making this easy on us." The old leader said, lowering the gun.

"Vernon, we can't let them go." A bald man wearing a leather jacket stated coldly. Bonnie and Leland were terrified to hear that.

"Of course we can, they surrender. Beck already shot the guy, the least we can do is let them free." Vernon defended, putting the pistol back in his pocket.

"C'mon, Roman, we can let these guys go. They're few, weak and probably pretty harmless." A woman with brown, shorter hair who seemed to be in her late teens added.

"Don't you have a heart?" A larger woman with long, brown hair asked rhetorically.

"Tch, not my fault, guy was stealing from us." A short twelve year old mumbled.

"He didn't steal nothin'.. That was someone else. Now, you have your bag, let us go." Bonnie defended, offering her hand to the old man. He accepted, standing up slowly.

"Of course." Vernon let the man go. Bonnie and Leland began walking away, towards the tractor. Dee was nowhere to be found.

"You can't stay a pacifist forever, Vernon. It'll get you killed." Roman begrudgingly said to his fellow survivor in the distance. Leland broke down, cried and begged to know where she went. Bonnie couldn't give a good answer, as it was a mystery to her as well. Perhaps she couldn't take what she had become and ran off?

Either way, two days later Bonnie and Leland found her face first in a dirt path, dead. Leland didn't speak much after that.

* * *

((And that's it! Episode four is complete. Now, we move on to the alternative choices for this episode!

Chapter 55: Hide or Leave for the boat?

If you guys had left for the boat, then Lee's fears would have become a reality. Everyone in the group minus Kenny, Ben, Duck, Mark, Christa and Carley would have died. Pretty lucky you stayed and hid, huh?

Chapter 56: Keep Ben?

If you kicked out Ben, he would have found Lee, Chuck and Clementine later. He would tell them where the mansion is, and Lee would have the choice to help Ben come back in, or ignore him and find the house. He would turn and end up as a walker cameo in this episode.

Chapter 57: Let Duck come?

Saying no would have decreased your relationship with the boy, but increased it with Kenny. Molly wouldn't have been shot.

Chapter 58: Carley or Mark

Choosing Mark over Carley caused him to be the playable character, choosing Carley would do the same.

Chapter 59: Ignore Kenny, head back or Follow orders?

If you had looked for Lee, Molly would have gotten the jump on you, spooking Duck and causing him to shoot her, injuring her. If you had gone back, Mark wouldn't have been bit, but you wouldn't have met Molly or learned of Crawford.

Chapter 60: Violence against Molly or Pacifism?

If you had chosen to go with Kenny's plan, Mark would have gotten a beat down from Molly, followed by her getting shot in the head. By Duck. If you had gone with not involving Duck, Molly wouldn't have been shot.

Chapter 61: The Chapter Where Mark Gets Bit

I think this one is pretty self explanatory, killing yourself would get Mark killed early, plus we would never meet Vernon or the cancer survivors.

Chapter 62: You could have prevented his death.

If you had cut the arm off, Mark would have lived, at the cost of Omid and Travis dying due to never being able to get into Crawford. Instead, after Lee rejoins, the group makes plans to leave Savannah.

Chapter 63: Bring the kids?

You guys chose not to bring them, choosing to bring Clementine wouldn't have changed much but your points with her would have gone up. Choosing to bring Duck wouldn't do much either, as both kids are forced to stay inside the classroom. Bringing both wouldn't have done much either but bring points up.

Chapter 64: Bring Ben?

If you had chosen to let Ben come with, the stranger would have come in, stealing both Clem and Duck early. Duck would have shot his shoulder out of shock, infuriating the man and causing Duck's death once they arrived at the Marsh House.

Chapter 65: The Stranger Confession

Choosing to confess after the mission would have decreased points with Kenny, Carley and Christa. Choosing to confess before Vernon or after him is the same result with different dialogue.

Chapter 66: Who do you go with?

Choosing to go with Carley and open the door early would kill Brie since she's alone, Chuck since he's alone (he would have been bit in that tiny shed thing near the gate) and Carley would have been shot in the head the second you open the armory door. Choosing to go with Kenny and Brie would have saved Brie, as you know, and choosing to go with Christa and Vernon would go much faster.

Chapter 67: What about Carley?

Letting Carley stay would do the same as if you go with her. She'd die from a gunshot. Letting her go with Vernon and Christa would have gotten the medicine faster.

Chapter 68: Any volunteers?

Whoever you choose to have go with Vernon and Christa will get a bump up in points. You also don't get to know Molly's secret.

Chapter 69: nice

Stating that Molly lied to you will decrease points with her, meaning she won't stay in the group. Saying nothing is wrong also ensures she won't come with, as no relationship points are earned or lost.

Chapter 70: Easy Choice #1

You guys did really good in keeping characters alive. If you had tried to reason with Oberson, he would have killed Carley. Lee would then go ballistic on the guy, filling him with pistol rounds until he was almost empty.

Chapter 71: Easy Choice #2

Saying yes to Vernon's proposal is interesting. He'd take Clem immediately and your points with him would max out. The Stranger finds them and kills everyone in the cancer survivor group but Clem. He then kidnaps her, never to be seen again. This is one of two bad endings I have planned that you guys dodged. Saying let me think about it wouldn't change canon much. He leaves and comes back later when Clem is gone.

If you had been violent, your points with him would drop to three, and he'd leave pissed.

Chapter 72: Easiest Choice so far

Telling Molly that she can leave will allow her to leave. Basically just like canon. We never see her again.

Chapter 73: Taking the boat plan will cause Clem to cry, then escape on purpose later with the Stranger. Your points will drop with her to seven.

Chapter 74: Show the Bite?

Concealing the bite would cause half the group not to look for Clementine out of fear of their own lives, unless their relationships with you are high. Lee would also not get to the bite in time.

Chapter 75: Goodbye Kenny, Ben, Duck and.. Trevor? Was that his name?

All jokes aside, choosing three people to stay behind would have no real difference, aside from the boat group staying a bit longer. If no one stays behind but Lee, well.. Can't really reveal that yet, but if you've seen episode five you know what happens.

Chapter 76: What to say to the Stranger?

Basically, this will be the opening phrase for the next episode. This choice may or may not matter~

Chapter 77: Flirting with a taken man

If you had flirted back, your relationship with Dee would drop to around four, and your relationship with Leland would shoot up to nine. Things play out just as they did in canon if you chose this.

Chapter 78: Sneak away or reveal yourself?

Sneaking away would have caused Dee to live, but Leland to get shot by Vernon. Unfortunate death for sure. Good thing I like Leland more!

And that's all for now! What choice do you wish we had chosen? Do you like how we have things already and don't want anything to be changed? Lemme know. Episode five should start after I finish the next chapter of Morioh Stories (A JoJo fanfic) so yeah! I'll see you guys then!))


	80. No Time Left

Carley pressed a nervous thumb on the communication button, the two girls behind her waiting anxiously for an answer to the strangers question from the reporter. "Where are you?" Were her words. The Stranger took a few seconds to answer before finally replying.

"Ask Lee, if he's been paying attention to Clementine at all, he'll know. Don't come looking for us, though. She's happy without you." Radio silence. Static filled her ears. Pissed beyond belief, Carley almost slammed the thing against the ground, but her common sense made her calm down. 'I need this thing, let's focus here.'

Christa and Molly noticed, looking at each other with worry. "Hey.. You good?" Molly asked slowly, not entirely the best with this stuff.

"I-I'm fine. Just on edge." Carley answered, pacing around the room.

"I know how you feel." Molly replied. Suddenly, groans came from outside of the morgue.

"Guys, walkers!" Christa announced, pulling out her gun and running to the door, barricading it. Molly helped by using Hilda to cut down any walkers too close for comfort.

"Shit. Alright, looks like we'll have to find another way out." Carley looked around, spotting an elevator shaft rather quickly.

"Well, hurry it up. Times wasting and if Vernon and his group aren't here, I don't wanna know what scared them off." Christa stressed, her back against the objects they cluttered around the door for extra protection.

"Maybe nothing did. Maybe they realized this place is doomed to fail and they jumped ship. The city IS tapped after all." Molly suggested, doing the same.

"Whatever the case, I do hope they're alright. Without them, Omid and Travis would be.." Christa looked down. Strangely, not at the floor, but at her stomach. Molly gave her a weird look.

"I got something!" Carley announced. She had cracked open the elevator doors with an item she found whilst poking around: A car jack.

"Sweet, let's get the hell out of here." Molly enthused, leaving the barricade to sprint toward the elevator.

"And fast, for some reason there are a ton of walkers down here." Christa added.

"Maybe they followed us into the city.. We did take a train." Carley informed, knowing Molly would get a kick out of it.

"You did what? Man, that's fucking sick!" She was right. They found a ladder that led to an opening and began climbing.

"Everyone be careful, hold on tight and call out if you see anything dangerous." Carley told them, allowing Christa to pass her since she had the 'most to lose.'

"Aye aye, boss." Molly replied, gripping to the bars. She was at the bottom, whilst the other two were ahead of her. Christa rolled her eyes at her response before climbing.

Meanwhile, Lee had just woken up from his black out. Last thing he remembered was getting bit, learning Clementine had been taken and having his arm cut.. Holy shit. "Ah! M-my fucking arm! It's on fire! C-Carley? Christa, Chuck? Where are you?" The leader got up, Clem's hat falling to the carpet as well as a bottle of painkillers from Crawford. He kneeled down, grabbed the bottle with his arm and placed it on the table.

"How the hell do I open this thing without two hands? There's gotta be someone around here.." Lee pocketed the pills and put Clementine's hat back in his pocket, looking around the house. He called names, checked bathrooms and listened for anyone around him, but nothing. Upon looking out the kitchen door however, he finally found Chuck and Omid standing outside. It looked like Chuck had taken Lee's assault rifle and Omid had his gun out, which was rather uncommon in a passive situation for the shortie. Nevertheless, he left the house, closing the door behind him.

The two looked at Lee and smiled. Omid ran up to him and hugged the crap out of him. "Holy shit, you're okay! Thank fucking god, I thought you died from blood loss or something!"

"I didn't, you're tough. How do you feel though?" Chuck asked, his smile never fading until he looked at the man's left arm, or nub.

"Uh.. Honestly? I feel like hell. But I don't feel 'bitten' if you know what I mean?" Lee tried to explain.

"Ah, sorta. Like when you're recovering from a hangover?" Chuck asked.

"Exactly. Only way more painful and you're dehydrated as hell."

"You need some water, man?" Omid asked, concerned as he stepped out of the hug.

"Yeah, thanks.. Could you open these, too?" Lee grabbed the pills as Omid ran to get some water from Lee's rations bag.

"Of course." Chuck replied, grabbing the pills and opening them up easily. It made Lee twitch at how easily it was done. He looked down at good ol' leftie and cringed, emotions piling up consisting of rage and sadness. Omid came back just as Lee downed two pills, the pain slowly being alleviated.

"Thanks, guys.. Where's everyone else?" Lee asked, opening up the bottle of water on the window sill. God, he was gonna have to get used to this in case he lived.

"Carley, Christa and Molly went looking for Vernon and Clementine." Chuck answered quickly.

"And everyone else..?" Lee asked, receiving looks of silence from the group.

"They uh.. They left." Omid answered, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Huh? You mean with the boat?" Lee asked, shocked that they just abandoned ship so quickly.

"Yeah.. Sorry you didn't get to say goodbye. Kenny seemed pretty torn up about it. I think he wanted to help find your girl." Chuck looked down at the floor. He had to admit, he missed the highwayman and those cool kids, especially Duck.

"It's.. It's fine. They're safer this way. Especially Duck and the kids. I just wish I could have said something to Kenny." Lee tightened his fist, taking a long sip of water.

"Like what?" Omid asked, leaning against the house. Lee put down the bottle to answer.

"That he was a son of a bitch. And that I loved the guy. He was a pain in the ass, a violent individual a lot of the time. But shit, we were together through thick and thin for months. I'll.. Miss him in a weird way." Lee sighed.

"Damn.. One day, you gotta tell us a story or two about your old group before babe and I made it forty percent better." The three shared a laugh as Lee finished the bottle.

"You took the AK?" Lee asked the older male amongst them.

"Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. Just.. Guarding the house in case that stranger guy or walkers come through." Chuck answered.

"Keep it, I don't have any use for it now." Lee smiled, if he couldn't have both arms he had no need for an assault weapon. Wait.. What about the axe? Shit.

"..You got it, boss." Chuck shrugged.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

"What the..? Walkers?" Omid whispered. The sound came from the shed.

"No.. That's too slow and controlled to be a walker. Besides, I didn't see any pass through here yet." Lee replied, taking out his pistol.

"I'll check, you two watch my back." Omid said, getting a nod from both men as they pointed at the shed behind him. Omid slowly opened the shed's front door. Nobody was inside but the knocking persisted. They must be at the back. The two behind him got closer as Omid approached the back door.

Before he could open the door, it was kicked open by none other than Vernon, the cancer survivors behind him. Omid was knocked on his ass. Vernon aimed his gun at Omid whilst the other survivors cowered behind him. Lee and Chuck aimed down hard on them, Lee especially pissed. "Vernon, where the fuck is Clementine!?" He demanded, his voice raspy out of pure anger, even after the water.

"What do you- Lee? W-what happened to your arm?" Vernon asked, his hands shaky from nervousness as usual.

"Vernon, come on! Where is the boat?" An older woman, Joyce asked.

"I-it's gone! Where's the boat?" Vernon asked.

"It's gone, Kenny and the kids left with it.." Omid answered, slowly getting up and pulling his gun out on Vernon. "And thanks for hitting my bad leg, dude. Real nice."

"I.." Vernon hesitated, lowering the gun as he watched the man stand somewhat tall.

"Last chance, you old fuck, where is my Clementine?!" Lee yelled, pointing directly at his knee.

"I don't have her! I thought she was with you!" Vernon snapped back, rising his gun to his head to smack himself lightly with it. "Damnit, damnit.."

"Vernon, I told you this was wrong, all wrong!" Brie yelled, quietly enough to not attract attention.

"I.. I thought I was doing the right thing." Vernon tried to defend himself, his whole group pissed.

"By robbing us?!" Omid questioned. 

"Yes. By stealing that boat and taking the kids before you could get them hurt yourself. From what it sounds, that's already happened." Vernon stated.

"So.. It wasn't you who stole Clementine?" Chuck asked slowly, lowering the assault rifle.

"No. I don't know who did. What about that guy on your radio." Vernon suggested, causing something to click in the men's brains.

"You're right! The stranger.. That fucker has Clementine." Lee became even angrier, but dropped his gun anyways, feeling extremely sad as well.

"Look, we don't have time for this." Boyd said, rolling his eyes.

"Yes we do. Lee," Brie walked toward Lee, a bag over her shoulder. "Let's make a trade, right here right now. You've clearly gone through enough today."

"Brie, what the fuck? That's your rations!" Boyd pointed out furiously.

"We tried to steal from them, Boyd! It's the least I can do." Brie scolded her fellow survivor, glaring something fierce at him.

"Whatever, we'll be outside." Vernon informed, glaring harshly at Lee. "Goodbye, Lee. I hope you find Clementine soon." He then left with the rest of his group.

"Please, Lee.. I.. I'm not like them. I want to help you, so let me do so by trading with you. I got food, water and ammo, your choice. I'll take whatever you can offer." Brie stated, opening her bag. Lee wasn't so sure about this, or if he even wanted to give anything away.

Choices:

A: I'll take the water

B: I'll take the ammo

C: I'll take the food.

D: No thanks. Brie.

(Note, you have to specify what you will trade. Here is our inventory:

Axe

Wrench

Pistol (Two mags, twenty bullets)

Twelve cans of food

Three bags of chips

Six water bottles

Condoms

Pain Killers

Car gas (Half a gallon)

Relationships:

Carley saved your life. 10/10

Clementine is out there, somewhere. You have to find her. 9/10

Chuck has your back indefinitely. 10/10

Christa is in the process of trying to save Clementine. You're forever in her debt. 9/10

Omid will do anything to protect Clementine. He owes you after Crawford. 9/10

Molly has got your back, this group is growing on her like mold. 9/10

Vernon does not like you anymore, but doesn't hate you. 5/10

Brie feels incredibly bad about what they were planning on doing. How will you react? 8/10

The Stranger is still out there, with Clementine. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: Any thoughts on Vernon and his group? Personally, I loved writing this chapter haha. Wanted to know if you guys liked how I changed this never before existing scene. Cheers!))


	81. The Bell Tower

"Well.. I guess we could use some more water. We are running a bit low. Chuck, mind grabbing the jerry can in the house? Brie can have the last of our gas." Lee asked the old man.

"You betcha." Chuck responded, heading inside. Omid stuck by the door in case this was a trap, though he did trust Brie, she seemed nice.

"Thanks.. And again, I'm sorry they tried to do that. Do you.. Uh.." Brie's eyes were directed at Lee's nub, blood soaking the gauze wrapped around it.

"What is it?" Lee questioned, having a bit of an idea what she wanted to know about.

"Your arm. It's only been a day and I just wanted to know.. How?" Brie watched as Lee stared at the former left arm of his, sighing as she passed him her bottles of water. She had around twelve, which fit into Lee's seemingly infinite backpack.

"Clementine wasn't in her room, so I went poking around for her. I found her hat outside, just lying on the grass.. I went to pick it up and that's when I heard her walkie talkie outside on the sidewalk. I reached for it and got bit." Lee explained, the memories flashing before his eyes. What a nightmare.

"So you cut the arm off?" Brie asked, receiving a nod from Lee. "Well, I hope it worked."

"You're tellin' me." Lee agreed, shaking his head as he looked at the floor.

"Here ya go." Chuck said, appearing from the house. He handed Brie the gas.

"Well, I'm off. Good luck." She turned back, heading out where she came in.

"You too." With that she left, closing the shed doors behind her.

We return to Molly, Carley and Christa, who have just made it out of the morgue. On the rooftop now, all they can hear aside from the wind are the abundance of walkers on the ground. Approaching the edge of the rooftop, they finally get to see just how many there really are. Thousands. Literal thousands.

"Wow.. Y'know, those things rarely scare me, but.." Molly shivered, cringing at how many there were below them, how loud they were.

"God.. I hope Clementine is okay. She's out there, somewhere, in the middle of all this." Christa lamented, folding her arms with worry.

"That's exactly why we're here." Carley said.

"Too bad we were wrong." Molly muttered.

"Well, if we can still get down from here without being mauled, I think we'll have a good chance of asking Lee about her position." The reporter defended, knowing they could get Clem back.

Christa suddenly started coughing into her fist, her eyes watering. "You okay?"

"I'm fine.. I think it's just allergies." Christa explained, sniffling whilst wiping her tears away. "Must be that shit the walkers are kicking up."

"Allergies? That's funny. People used to get those." Carley replied with a smirk.

"Lot less funny in Crawford. Woulda shot you on sight if you said that." Molly paused for a second before adding to her sentence. "Oh, by the way, I was in Crawford. Long story, but fuck that place."

"That.. Makes a lot of sense." Carley was kinda stunned, but it wasn't that big of a deal. Good thing Kenny's not here, he'd be pissed for sure.

"We all got secrets then, huh?" Christa let out a nostril breath. The other two stared at each other in confusion. Was Christa hiding something?

"Sure we do. I knew Lee was a convicted murder before anyone in our last group." Carley boasted.

"Damn, he didn't tell me that. Pretty sick though." The three shared a bit of a laugh before Carley noticed a church bell not too far away, maybe around twenty feet from the hospital.

"Molly, you see that bell tower? Do you think if we were to make enough noise, we could distract the walkers and make our escape?" Carley asked, knowing the girl was great at parkour.

"Oh hell yeah, can I ring the bell?" Molly asked excitedly.

"Sure, knock yourself out. I'll find a way down, Christa can catch you in case you don't make it back." Carley suggested, beginning to walk around the space for a stairwell or climbable ladder.

"Psht, watch me." Molly stated confidently, slowly backing away from the edge before she felt she had enough space to get momentum.

"Be careful, okay?" Christa advised.

"Yeah, yeah, I will! Trust me, I'm great at this stuff. Right, Hilda?" Molly asked her hook. Christa stared at her weirdly. Finally, Molly started sprinting, her heart pounding in her ears. She jumped off the edge, clinging the edge of Hilda to a stray brick whilst her feet were stapled to two underneath her. Christa was shocked, her mouth agape and her eyes wide.

"Holy shit! Can you make that?!" Christa yelled.

"Y-yeah! Hold on a second!" Molly began hoisting herself up very slowly, one brick to the next. In the time it took her to climb up, Carley had found a staircase they could descend from.

"Guys, I found a way down!" Carley shouted to her friends. They didn't answer so Carley approached Christa. Molly had finally climbed the tower and was now taking a breather.

"I.. Did.. It!" She heaved, catching her breath on the floor.

"I'll be damned, she's got some moves." Christa stated.

"Mark wasn't joking." Carley murmured to herself, looking at the sky to acknowledge her late friend.

Molly got up eventually, finding the rope that rang the bell. She quickly grabbed and tossed it, causing the bell to wail loudly, swinging from side to side. Even Lee and his group could hear it. Every walker in the area began trotting toward the sound as the female athletic grabbed Hilda once again. "Back up, I gotta jump back." The adrenaline in her system should save her from falling too far down or otherwise hurting herself. She stepped back, gaining enough space to leave room for momentum.

Then she started running, jumping at the edge with Hilda in her arms. She barely hit the edge of the hospital's roof, saving her from a violent death. Christa and Carley pulled her up. "Thanks.." She said, panting once again.

"Of course. Now, come on. We gotta get out of here and quick." Carley ordered, helping Molly to her feet. The group ran off the roof and down the stairs, the walkers clearing the path for them. The walk home was silent in case they were being followed or there were any walkers who didn't hear the bell around. A couple were around but they were just approaching the bell from afar. They only had to kill one walker near the house with Molly's hook, so it was smooth sailing. Upon opening the back shed, they found the boat gone and Lee, Chuck and Omid. Kenny must have already left then.

"Carley! You're okay." Lee opened up his arms. His shirt was still covered in dry blood. Carley ran into his chest and embraced him fully.

"Lee! God I fucking missed you. You were out and I was just so busy in my mind, concerning you and Clem. I love you." Carley said to her lover, her left hand embracing his right.

"I.. Love you too, Car." They stared at each other for a while before kissing, causing Chuck and Molly to fake gag as they fist bumped. Christa wrapped her arms around Omid and nuzzled his nose eskimo style.

"Your leg feeling any better?" She asked gently.

"Yeah, way better. Thanks, babe." Omid confirmed, smiling at his girlfriend.

"We don't have Clementine.. That guy you were talking about on the radio has her, not Vernon." Carley

"I figured. Can I have the talkie back?" Lee asked, leaving his hand out for her to give it to him.

"Sure." Carley said with a smile, placing it in his hand. It still smelled like her. None of them smelled good considering no showers, but Clem naturally smelled decent.

"Vernon was here, by the way. He was planning on stealing the boat, and Clementine." Lee notified.

"I told you, bad vibes from that asshole." Carley said, shaking her head.

"He didn't cause much trouble, he left after he learned we didn't have either." Chuck assured.

"Oh, and that stranger mentioned that you might know where he's got Clementine. Do you have an idea of where that might be?" Carley quizzed.

"Well, she said her parents were staying at the Marsh House. Maybe there? Then again, it can't be that obvious." Lee guessed, shrugging. "All I know is that we NEED to get to her, and fast."

"I guess we should- What the hell..?" Christa stopped herself, noticing something terrifying just outside their walls. Walkers began walking by the house, growling at the thought of their next meal, at the bell tower. Fortunately for the soulless cannibals, they turned at just the right time to find six adult humans, sitting ducks. They began banging on the fence that guarded the group, some trying to open the front gate and shed.

"Everyone, inside!" Lee demanded, rushing to the front door. After everyone came in, they slammed the door, locking it the conventional way.

"There's fifty of those fuckers out there!" Christa yelled, backing slowly away from the door.

"How the hell.." Lee muttered, shocked that they were just suddenly ambushed.

"The bell! They heard the bell and were passing by, saw us and now.." Carley blurted out, taking her glock out from her jeans.

"Well, we should be fine in here, right?" The gate opened outside, the sound of walkers groaning coming closer. "Guess not." Molly finished.

"Everybody stay calm! Lee, do you have any ideas?" Omid asked their leader. Everybody drew their weapons, ready to follow any order.

Choices:

A: Hide immediately

B: Defend the house by barricading and fighting the walkers.

Relationships:

Clementine is still out there, we need to find her. 9/10

Chuck is satisfied with your trading choice. 10/10

Omid likes that you decided on trading with Brie, the more supplies the better after all. 9/10

Molly is ready to do whatever you need her to do. 9/10

Christa will do anything to get Clementine back. 9/10

The stranger is still out there, with Clem. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: Who do you think will make a return in season 2? Anybody you wanna see in particular?))


	82. Hiding in the Attic

Lee grabbed his bag and hoisted it over his shoulder after placing the bottles of water inside of it. "Everyone, gather your bags and get to the attic, there's too many walkers, we'll die if we fight them!" He commanded, running upstairs. The others spread out, grabbing their bags upstairs. A couple of walkers had already broken the windows and a few were climbing inside. The door was just about broken down once the group had reached the end of the hall. Upon opening the attic door, the walkers were already flooding the first floor. "Come on, we gotta move!" Every member of the group scrambled up the attic stairs, with Lee being the last one. His pistol fell out of his back pocket and no one was there to grab it.

The door was closed, it was hot and dusty, the sounds of moaning flooded their ears and partied in their heads for minutes on end. Omid and Christa caught their breath whilst Chuck and Molly looked through their bags. Lee paced back and forth as Carley watched him with concern in her eyes. "Um.. Maybe this wasn't the best idea." Carley suggested.

"No shit. But what else were we supposed to do?" Lee questioned, his hand on his hip.

"We could have fought and died horrible deaths. We also could have come up here and died horrible deaths. Either way, we're fucked." Molly teased pessimistically.

"Now, now, I'm sure we can find a way outta here." Chuck said, in contrast to Molly's words.

"It's a three story drop from here. What escape is there? Face it, we're stuck." Molly rebutted, sweaty and pissed.

"I get it, alright? We shouldn't have come up here." Lee butted in, wiping his forehead of sweat.

"How are you feeling?" Carley asked, leaning against the wall.

"What do you mean? Who cares? Clementine is still out there and we're trapped up in this attic because I panicked." Lee asked frustradtly, his pacing getting quicker.

"I care, we all do, Lee." Lee paused and sighed, letting his hair poof and the sweat on his skin seep off of his face.

"I feel.. Odd. I can still feel my fingers and my arm feels weird." He explained, looking down at the bandaged wound. Blood was still on it, albeit dried.

"How so?" Christa asked, staring intently at the amputated arm.

"I dunno, just.. Different." Lee took another look at the nub and cringed, shaking his head.

"Do you think choppin' it worked?" Chuck questioned their leader. That kind of worried Lee.

"I don't know. I'd be happy if it just slowed down the process, honestly." Lee stated with a shrug.

"Stop it. You aren't dead." Carley replied, a bit angrily.

"Whatever. My condition doesn't matter, I'm fine. What matters is getting out of here." Lee restated, looking around the walls and windows for a way out.

"Well, any idea on how we would do that?" Molly asked, laying on a couch near that walker kid, Fivel's, camp.

"I bet this guy would know." Omid piped up, walking over to a statue of some guy's head. "He's got a resourceful air about him."

"Stop it." Christa silently scolded. Omid ignored her.

"Dixon Kent the third. Industrial-"

"Omid!" His girlfriend yelled.

"Christa! Relax, I'm just trying to lighten the fucking tone." Omid defended, furrowing his brows at her, something he rarely did.

"We need solutions, not stupid jokes!" Christa lashed out, putting her foot down figuratively and literally. Everyone went quiet save for the walkers. "..I'm sorry."

"Maybe I could break the window and go after Clem myself." Molly muttered to herself.

"What, and abandon us?" Lee asked with a raised voice.

"Excuse me?" Molly replied, shocked at his shitty attitude.

"It wouldn't be the first time you would have thought of the idea." Lee spat out.

"Stop it, Lee. She ain't doin nothin' but thinking about the group." Chuck said, defending his friend.

"Yeah, chill out!" Omid stated, raising his hands for peace.

"Lee, look, I know you're under a lot of stress, but so are the rest of us. Instead of arguing, we have to figure something out" Carley told her boyfriend, trying to touch his shoulder.

"Easy for you to say. You're going to live." Lee venomously said, brushing her hand off of his shoulder. She grew angrier.

"Stop it, now! You sound like fucking Kenny." She yelled.

"This is getting out of hand.." Omid muttered with the others, staying away from them.

"You're gonna listen to us, we will get Clementine back, we will get out of here, with or without your help!" Carley argued, pointing a finger at his chest.

"I'm sorry, okay!? Fuck, there's no time for this!" Lee argued back, facepalming.

"Oh, you're telling me? Get your head out of your ass, Lee Eeverett!" Carley yelled, glaring him down. Lee, out of pure anger for everything piling on top of him, grabbed the statue Omid mentioned and tossed it across the room, causing it to collide with the wall and break. The wall itself also took damage. It looked weak. Everyone stared.

"..You ruined that dudes face." Omid commented, earning a giggle from Molly and an awkward laugh from Chuck.

"Shut up, sweetie. Look." Christa pointed at the wall. It took some pretty hefty damage, a chunk of wood fell off. The group approached the damage.

"The wall.. It's weak." Carley pointed out.

"You think we can just break through it?" Chuck asked, rising from his seat.

"Beats any other plan." Chuck murmured as Lee hit the wall, causing dust to sprinkle out of it. A couple more hits gave it a lot more damage.

"Yeah.. This is doable." Lee wiped his head with a genuine smile, feeling guilt over lashing out at everyone.

"Great. So, who's breaking it?" Christa asked.

"We'll work in shifts. First Chuck, then Omid, then me. The rest of us should rest." Lee ordered.

"Works for me. Y'all relax for now."

"Thanks, Chuck." Christa told the man as she passed by him.

"Don't mention it." The older male replied, grabbing the coat hanger Lee used to break the wall.

Lee and Carley walked side by side, this was his chance to say something to her, make things better.

Choices:

A: I'm sorry.

B: You know I love you, right?

C: Don't be mad, please?

D: Say nothing.

Relationships:

Clementine needs you, you have to save her. 9/10

Carley is pretty pissed at you. 9/10

Christa liked your plan, it worked out in the end and nobody died. 9/10

Omid liked your plan for the same reasons as Christa. 9/10

Chuck admits you were a bit out of hand, but knows you didn't mean it. 10/10

Molly thinks you were out of line but liked your plan. 9/10

The stranger is still out there, with Clementine. 3/10

((Question of the chapter: Do you think anybody else will die this season? If so, who? Place your bets, folks!))


	83. Relaxation with the Mansion Group

"Hey, Carley, I'm.. I'm sorry. I'm just under a lot of stress and this goddamn plan of mine didn't help." Lee said, looking at her from his peripheral vision.

"Don't worry, Lee. I get it. I've just never seen you lose your shit like that, not since.." Carley's words lingered. Lee closed his eyes and sighed. "I forgive you, babe."

"Thanks, it means a lot." The two joined the rest of the group on the couch. Luckily there were two, with Christa, Molly and Omid on one and Lee & Carley on another. As they sat down, Lee could feel his back pocket was lighter. He went in to reach for his gun and found it gone. "Ah, shit."

"Hey, you okay, man?" Omid asked, concern in his eyes.

"What do you mean? Health wise or mentally?" Lee questioned.

"Well, both. But, health wise first. You were sweating quite a lot." Omid answered.

"It's just the attic. Or uh.. Maybe.." Lee paused, looking back down at where he was bitten. He missed lefty. Everyone stared at each other with worry.

"Stop. We cut it off, it should work." Carley stated.

"What if it doesn't? What if those invalid assholes were lying about Mark? None of them were missing a limb, mind you." Molly pointed out.

"Well, maybe. But we can't just give up hope." Christa replied.

"How about mentally?" Omid asked.

"Just.. I'm angry." Lee shrugged, staring at the walkie talkie in his pocket.

"Clearly." Molly teased, getting no joking response back.

"It's this thing with Clem. It's boiled up an anger inside me like I can't describe. I just-" Lee was cut off by the sound of static he instantly recognized as Clem's talkie. Everyone stared down at his pocket with wide eyes.

"Lee? Lee? Lee?! I'm here, I'm where my parents- oh no.." She was cut off, the talkie died.

"What did that mean?" Christa asked.

"She's at the Marsh House. She's still at the Marsh house.. He hasn't moved her." Lee speculated, hope coming back to his brain.

"Yet." Molly stated. 

"Yeah, yet." Christa added.

"Let's try not to worry for now. We need to relax." Carley insisted. Omid nodded in agreement.

"Agreed." Lee sighed, catching Christa staring at his nub.

"Sorry, it's just odd. I keep doing double takes whenever I look at it expecting it to be there."

"I'm not used to it either." Lee responded to the dark skinned woman.

"If I were you, I'd be scared shitless." Omid stated truthfully.

"If you were me, you'd be a foot taller." Lee joked.

"Hey, not cool!" Omid said, letting out a chuckle. Molly and Carley joined him. Christa just playfully rolled her eyes.

"And you'd weigh about twenty pounds lighter." Lee added, causing himself to smirk.

"Hey, with my leg and your arm, I'll cripple fight you right now." Omid challenged teasingly.

"Sounds good, I can just shove my palm in your face and let you swing away." Lee countered, causing Christa to let out a small chuckle. Omid smiled, rolling his eyes.

"Fine, you win, jerk." The group remained silent as they composed themselves, Chuck still beating the wall for freedom in the background.

"So.. Lee, got any interesting stories to tell?" Molly asked, throwing one leg over the other. Lee scavenged his brain for a story

Choices:

A: The story of the St. Johns.

B: The story of Clementine.

C: The story of Lee's past.

D: The story of Kenny.

Relationships:

Clementine needs you to save her. Who knows how much time is left for her? 9/10

Carley forgives you. 10/10

Christa is happy to hear you're sorry. 10/10

Omid is happy to know you're okay, and not actually pissed at them. 10/10

Molly knows you're not a total ass already. 9/10

Chuck is glad to know you apologized. 10/10

The stranger is still out there, what is he doing to Clementine? What does he want? 3/10

((Question of the chapter: Any ideas for Kenny's special episode? I have a few ideas, but I'd like to hear what y'all got.))


	84. Christa's Secret

Lee decided that if there was a time to tell people about his full, uncut story, it had to be now. With a sigh he nodded. "I got one. Strap in, I'm not sparing any details." Lee clarified. He looked at Carley, giving a knowing look. She understood what was next.

"Okay, nothing to lose now, right?" Omid stated.

"Except for ourselves, you mean?" Christa said, causing everyone to go quiet.

"Right, sorry. Continue, Lee."

"So, let's start four months ago, before the plague. I was married, no kids though. I always wanted kids. My wife had connections in the government, was a secretary for the senator of Georgia. My wife never wanted kids, and we always fought over the idea of me wanting them and her wanting a job without 'liability'."

"Ugh, she used those words?" Christa asked, squinting her eyes in disgust.

"Yeah, if you can believe it." Lee dryly replied, staring at the ground.

"That's horrible." She added.

"So anyways, one night after a stressful day at work, I come back home and notice the door is unlocked. Not only that, but there's another set of shoes near the door. I had a suspicion something like this would happen." The memories came flooding back, the smell, what gum was in the teachers mouth, what exactly he was thinking.

"She didn't..?" Christa stopped, her hand over her mouth in shock.

"She was cheating on me." Lee answered, nodding his head.

"Jesus." Omid muttered.

"Shit, that's rough." Molly said softly.

"No shit." Lee agreed grimly.

"What did you do? That's not an easy situation to handle." Christa questioned.

Lee paused for a few seconds before looking back up at Carley. "I went for the gun in our dresser. They had just noticed me when I took aim and.. And.. I dunno. I shot him. I was just so angry."

"So what we saw today was a sample of that anger?" Carley asked, receiving a regretful nod from the bearded man.

"Do you regret it? I mean, shit, I don't know what I would do or think if I were you." Omid raised a good question. Did Lee regret it? On one hand, it landed him a horrible rep, a bad relationship with Larry in the beginning, and a terrible consciousness that haunts him almost nightly. On the other hand, if that cop car hadn't crashed where it did, he would have never met Clementine.

"No. Not for a second." Lee responded without flinching.

"Really? Goddamn." Omid shook his head, his arms folded. He looked sorry but didn't know how to say it.

"Why?" Carley asked, the first question she had asked about the scenario she didn't already know the answer to.

"I would have never met Clementine. She found me after me and the officer got into a wreck. I had to hop a fence and walk around her house to find her and this thing, but we united for the first time that day. So no, I don't regret it." Lee explained.

"We're getting her back, Lee. I hope you know that." Omid stated confidently. Lee smiled.

"Thanks, guys. You've all been supportive, caring.. If I die because of this arm, take care of her for me. Promise me you will." Lee's tone suddenly became much more serious.

"Lee, please." Carley tried to stop him from talking like that.

"Did you hear me? If I die, you WILL protect her, right?" Lee asked again.

"Of course. We'll do anything you need us to." Christa cut in before another argument could arise.

"Just saying, you aren't dead yet. You don't even look that bad and we got to the bite immediately. If I were you, I'd be a whole lot less cynical." Molly said, shrugging her shoulders.

"Yeah.. Maybe you're right." Lee muttered.

Chuck stopped banging at the wall, approaching the group. "Alright, I'm outta gas. Omid, you're up." He panted out.

"You sure you wanna do this? What about your leg?" Christa asked her boyfriend as he got up from his seat.

"It's fine, babe, I feel a lot better. Relax for now, okay?" Omid assured, giving her a kiss on the forehead before leaving to the wall. Chuck took his spot.

"Feeling' better, soldier?" Charles asked.

"A little. Kinda hungry though, despite the anger."

"Holy shit, we forgot breakfast? How is that even possible?" Carley joked, grabbing the rations out of Lee's bag. Water, chips and cans of peaches were shared around.

"Thanks, hon.. I needed that." Lee grumbled after chugging a bottle of lukewarm water.

"Yeah, can't believe we forgot to eat." Molly stated, devouring her can.

"Don't mention it. I got caught up in the heat of the moment too." Carley said.

"So.. about the stranger on that walkie." Chuck started, looking at Lee with a questioning stare. "When we find him, what's the plan?"

"We try to understand why he did what he did, get Clementine and leave. Nothing needs to get violent." Lee answered in between bites of peach.

"But if it does, we got your back." Carley assured. Lee peaked at her glock sticking from her jean pocket. He didn't have a gun, she'd be the one with the power.

"I get that, and I appreciate it. Let's just make sure that's a last resort." The Leeder clarified.

"Of course, we'll try. I don't like the idea of murder either, FWI." Carley said.

"Wait, was Lee's secret the secret you knew?" Molly questioned the sharp shooter. Carley pitched a smile.

"Yup. Good job, Molly." She confirmed.

"So what's yours?" Molly questioned Christa, all eyes directed toward her.

"Mine?" Christa suddenly looked panicked.

"Yeah, yours. What deep, dark secret are you hiding, stoic lady?" Molly asked teasingly. She should take it easy with the pet names..

"You think she's stoic? Take a look in a mirror." Chuck roasted, a smile on his stubble covered face.

"Low blow, Santa." The young woman stabbed back. Everyone else laughed at the two's antics.

"..I dunno. I shouldn't say." Christa said, shrugging whilst looking down at the ground. God, it reeked in here.

"Lame. C'mon, we're all gonna die soon anyways, spit it out." Molly pressured, causing Christa to glare at her.

Choices:

A: Come on, Christa, out with it.

B: Guys, leave her be. It's her business.

Relationships:

Clementine needs you right now, you have to save her. 9/10

Carley is glad you finally fessed up your whole story to not only her, but the group at large. 10/10

Chuck is happy to be by your side. 10/10

Molly is surprised at your past, but sympathetic. 9/10

Omid is happy to finally know your whole history. He feels bad for you and hopes you're feeling better. 10/10

Christa feels horrible for what happened, she sympathises with you heavily. 10/10

The Stranger has Clementine, we need to get to him. 3/10

((QOTC: What do you think is next for Vernon and the cancer survivors? Hint, your choice did matter and will affect the story, just not right now.))


	85. We're here

As the glare war between Christa and Molly persisted, Lee decided to step in. "Christa, there's nothing wrong with you not sharing. Molly, you know how hard it was for me to say all that, right? What makes you think it'll be easier for Christa to do the same thing?"

"Thanks, Lee. It's not like I don't want to tell you guys, I just know that it can wait." Christa explained, looking back down at her stomach.

"Whatever, mood ruined." Molly teased, rolling her eyes as she glanced at the window. The sun was high in the sky.

"If that's the case, try this. It'll brighten up your mood like a Christmas tree." Chuck grabbed a bottle from his pack. The last bottle of whiskey he had. He opened it and took a quick swig, sighing as his throat was cleansed with alcohol. He passed the bottle to Molly who happily accepted and began chugging.

"Fucking sweet. I hate this stuff, but it's better than nothin'. Want a nip, teach'?" Molly offered Lee, the bottle lingering over his lap. He looked at it, then back at Carley.

"What, you want my approval? Lee, loosen up. You need that bottle almost as much as you need Clem." Carley stated, getting a chuckle from Chuck. Lee grumbled before shaking his head.

"Alright, alright. Give it to me." The bottle was brought from Molly's hand to Lee's. He brought the nuzzle to his lips before drinking, gulping down more and more before realizing he was overdoing it. He gave it to Carley, who began drinking as well.

"Fuck.." Christa mumbled, watching the girl next to her drink the forbidden liquid.

"What's up?" Lee questioned, obviously concerned.

"I could… Use a drink." Christa slowly said, sighing deeply. She knew what that meant for herself. The others had no idea.

"Here, take it." Carley offered after letting it go from her lips. Christa looked at the bottle nervously, then at the others, then back to the bottle. Her hand swiped the thing away before throwing it to her lips, chugging the last of it like it was the cure for the walker disease itself. Lee, Carley, Molly and Chuck were shocked.

"Goddamn! You weren't lying." Molly exclaimed with a shocked laugh.

"I'm through!" Yelled Omid from across the room. Christa forced the bottle into Chuck's pack suspiciously quickly before standing up with the others to see the hole in the wall. "Aw, you guys were having rations without me? No fair."

"Here, eat it quick." Lee said, giving a can to Omid. The man shrugged before opening the can and gobbling the contents down. The rest of the group poked their heads into the exposed wall. "It looks safe. I'll go first, it should be the guy with the least to lose going in case there are walkers in there." The rest of the group agreed to disagree, nodding sadly. Lee crawled inside, jumping down to the room. What he saw made his brain pause.

A couple was dead on a bed in the middle of the room, hand in hand with a gun in the husband's hand. Lee approached the two and just stared, thoughts of that night soaring through his head. When the rest of the group entered and noticed what was wrong, they didn't know what to say either, all of them just staring sadly. Omid and Christa held hands, and Carley embraced Lee's.

"Hey, you need a minute?" His girlfriend asked, squeezing his hand tightly. Lee looked at her, squeezed back and kissed her on the lips, lingering there for a few seconds. His beard tickled her chin as the two shared a loving, passionate peck. It wasn't much, certainly not the Motel's steamy session, but it made Lee appreciate her all the more.

"I've had minutes. I've had breaks. It's time to focus." Lee replied, massaging her cheek with the gentle back of his hand, his knuckles caressing her creamy brown skin.

"Right." She nodded, her hands trailing down his chest.

"Let's scavenge first, then we can leave out that balcony." Molly suggested, opening a door that led to what looked like an escape. A balcony followed the exit, and in front of that was a building just a little higher than the balcony. Carley grabbed the gun out of the corpse's hand and looked at the magazine.

"Seems like there's still one bullet left." She loaded it back in the gun before putting it in Lee's back pocket just in case. The group began searching, mostly silent. The smell, the view and the mood was fucked thanks to that couple. Lee just hoped it never came to that. Carley could only think of Katjaa and how devastated Duck and Kenny were.

"Nothing?" Lee asked, standing in front of the door. The group approached him and nodded.

"Nothing but personal items in here." Christa answered.

"Then we go." Lee exited the door, standing on the very small balcony. If he were to look down, which he did, he would see a huge drop awaiting him and everyone else in case they fell. Letting out a sigh, he turned back. "I'll go first. Be careful, everyone." The others nodded silently.

Lee climbed the railing before hopping to the building, barely making it over. He climbed up, kneeling down with his hand ready for anyone else jumping. Molly was next. She used Hilda to latch onto the edge of the building before being helped up by Lee. Carley, Omid and Christa did the same thing.

Chuck was last, and with all of that stuff on his back Molly got worried. "Here, use her." She tossed Hilda to the old man, who caught it with ease.

"Harsh. Don't believe in me?" Chuck asked.

"I just don't want you to die a horrible death." Molly replied, kind of genuine.

"Fair enough." He smirked, getting on top of the railing. As soon as he jumped, the balcony gave out and fell to the alleyway below. Chuck fortunately made it, just barely. Molly and Carley pulled him up.

"That was way too close." Omid said, shocked they all made it.

"Come on, we're close. If we can stay up on the rooftops, we can make it to the Marsh House without seeing a single walker." Lee planned out.

"Sounds good to me. The less of those bastards the better."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Chuck rhetorically asked.

"Follow me, and be careful." Lee ordered, beginning to walk straight ahead. The group followed, hopeful that they could make it.

Hours later, the sun was on the verge of setting. Lee looked fine, unlike Mark in his last hours. The group was confident that they had saved him. He seemed pretty awake too, maybe it was just the anger in his blood boiling him, fueling him like an engine. There was a hole in one of the roofs with walkers seeping from it. "Watch your step, we've made it this far, we can't die now." Lee warned.

"Yeah, it would suck to die to a hole in the ground." Omid jokes, causing most of the group to smile. Lee ignores him and continues on his path. The group follows obediently.

Finally, at the end of a street a quarter mile away, Lee saw it: The Marsh House. A smile finally tugged at his lips. "We found it! The Marsh House is just down there."

"Yeah, in that." Christa pointed at the street. To say it was covered in walkers was an understatement. They were everywhere.

"Shit, we can't even take those with my assault rifle." Chuck muttered, hands on his hips with a puzzled expression.

"What do we do?" Omid questioned.

"There's a sign there, if we all manage to climb across it, we could jump rooftops all the way to the Marsh House, then have Chuck kill a few walkers blocking the entrance before sneaking in and locking the door." Lee explained, pointing along from the sign hooking the building across from them and the one they were standing on together to the Marsh House. The sky was growing darker by the second, so any plan was a good one.

"That's stupid." Molly flatly said.

"That's crazy." Christa stated.

"That's questionable. Maybe we should just break a window and climb in?" Chuck suggested.

"..Fine, we'll do it Chuck's way. Now.. Who goes first?" Lee's question left them all staring around at each other.

"That's up to you. You are our leader." Carley said, folding her arms nervously.

Choices:

A: Lightest goes first.

B: I'll go first.

C: Jump down by yourself and wing it.

Relationships:

This is it, Clementine is right over there. She needs you to come and rescue her. 9/10

Chuck is ready for anything at this point. 10/10

Carley is fully supportive of you, but still worries for your mental and physical health. 10/10

Molly has stuck with you this long, she's ready to rough it to the Marsh House and save Clementine. 10/10

Christa will do anything for that little girl's safety. You're a family at this point and it's only been a few days. 10/10

Omid is with Christa, he loves this group and will do anything for Clem. 10/10

The Stranger is just around the corner. It's almost time. 3/10

((QOTC: Rank the chapters of this story from worst to best. Easy, that's basically it.  
For me it's: Episode one, Episode three, Episode two, Episode four, Episode Five))


	86. Silent Rage

Omid's question kinda stung Lee. He knew it should be him, it's his fight and he's the one with one arm. He looked at the sign before turning back to the group. "Well, you guys are more able bodied. Besides, it should be the guy with the least to lose."

"Don't say that. We're all here for you." Carley assured, touching his shoulder. He smiled, comfortable. He felt a hell of a lot safer with her by his side.

"Yeah, plus it doesn't exactly look like a death trap either!" Omid spoke too soon. The sign made a loud creaking noise as the wind howled. Christa, Lee and Carley glared at him. "..Good luck, man."

"Thanks. If I fall and get eaten, you are sure to go after her. Here goes nothing." He took a deep breath before jumping down to the edge of the sign. Slowly, he shimmied to the other side, loud creaking coming from the structure with every shift of his weight.

"Just go nice and slow!" Omid warned, already on edge. A few steps later and Lee could feel something was wrong. He tried not to look down due to the fear of falling into a herd of hungry, inhumane walkers, but when the sign made a particularly scary noise, he had no choice. One of the bolts was launched out and the sign was collapsing.

"Ah!" Lee panicked before jumping to the ledge of the nearest building, holding on for dear life with his single arm.

"Holy shit, man!" Omid yelled, his heart beating a million miles an hour.

"Are you okay?" Chuck asked, looking around for another way around. Alas, there was none in sight.

"I-I'm fine.." Lee stuttered, looking down. Dust and skin flakes soared into the air as the walking dead roamed the area, some looked up at the sign for a split second before ignoring it, figuring no one was here.

"Are you sure? How the hell are we supposed to get to you?!" Carley questioned. It actually made Lee think. Then, an idea came into his head. A dangerous, stupid idea that would work either way.

"Fuck it. I'm going for it."

"'Going for it?!'" Molly quotes, confused as to what he meant.

"What the fuck does that mean?!" Omid asked, frustrated and scared.

"It means I was already bitten once. I may be fine now, but I don't care if I die as long as Clementine lives." Lee answered as his hand began losing grip of the building.

"That's fucking stupid! Don't get yourself killed, Lee Everett!" Carley ordered, somehow already knowing he wouldn't listen.

"I'll try not to. This is our only hope. Meet me across from the Marsh House, on that rooftop there! You can better cover us from there when we come out."

"What if you die?!" Molly asked.

"Then send someone down to rescue Clem. If I'm not back in fifteen minutes, you'll know what happened." Lee explained grimly. The group hated to hear that.

"You're crazy!.. Fine, we'll be there." Christa said with a roll of her eyes.

"Thank you." Lee slowly dropped down as the group began running to the building in front of the Marsh House, a jewelry store. The teacher turned criminal turned survivalist poked around the street, luckily there were only a few walkers close by, yet they hadn't heard or seen him thanks to the immense amount of groaning going on. He picked up a glass shard on the ground, glared it down and then pressed his palm against it, establishing a firm grip. It cut into his hand and made him bleed, but the pain was nothing compared to the fiery hatred in his stomach for the man who kidnapped Clementine.

A few shots of Chuck's assault rifle were heard from the rooftops, attracting the walkers to the sound. A few of the dead saw Lee however, and made their way towards him. He approached them with little fear while the rest of his group shot at walkers to get them away from their main location. That fucking hotel. Lee began gouging their brains in with the sharp glass, smacking them around, cutting into their skulls. With each kill, blood splashed on his shirt and made him smell worse than normal. Soon enough, more and more walkers would either ignore him or get distracted by the group.

He figured it was probably the walker guts. Still, a few acknowledged him. With little care he slashed at their heads, speared their mouths, yelled and screamed as he mercilessly cut down each and every brain dead corpse in his path. Finally, he slit the last one's head in half, the last obstacle blocking him from the Marsh House, without a single bite on him. A somewhat familiar station wagon was parked outside the house but Lee paid no attention to it. Could be good for siphoning gas from or straight up taking. He was reminded of the station wagon in the forest that they took from. Even if it wasn't much, he still felt guilty for taking half. Couldn't be the same one though, no way he followed us all the way from Georgia.. Right?

Lee took a few seconds to compose himself and spread more guts on himself. Once he was covered enough so that no walker could detect him, he took a deep breath before heading inside. It was dark, quiet, messy and creepy in this abandoned building. He was sure to be sneaky, carefully tip toeing to each door and pressing his ear against them. No sound from most of them. Whenever he went to check them, they were empty, nothing out of the ordinary. Finally, he got lucky.

At one door, as he pressed his ear against the door, he could hear a door shut. 'This has got to be it.' He thought to himself, putting the glass shard from the battle in his jean pocket before opening the door. After closing it he found nobody inside, but one thing was out of the ordinary: the closet and spare room doors were connected by a rope. Lee inspected it, assuming that Clementine was behind one of them. He was about to speak when he heard the cock of a pistol behind him. Slowly, he turned around.

"I got us adjoining rooms." The man sounded miserable, creepy, even worse than on the radio. He looked horrible, his face was pale and his eyes were droopy and red. His clothes were ripped at the sides and dirty with more than just blood.

"Where is Clementine?" Lee questioned, cutting right to the chase. He didn't flinch upon seeing the gun, he just needed answers.

"In a safer place." He answered, causing Lee to worry a bit. What did this bastard do to her? "You look horrible. And you're missing an arm." There was a silence between the two. Lee death stared the guy something fierce until something snapped him out of his rage.

"Let me out! Who's out there..?" Clementine asked, confirming she was at least alive. Lee looked at the door and opened his mouth to speak, only to have the cold barrel of the strangers gun shoved against his cheek. He shushed him.

"Quiet, please, sweetie." The man ordered. "Your things, there." He pointed at a nearby dresser with his gun. Lee took the backpack off of his shoulders and began placing food and water down. He could lie and keep the weapons, but he knows he'd call him out on it. He dumped the rest of the bag out and put the glass shard on the table along with his axe and the walkie talkie. "Good. Go over there, sit down."

Lee listened. He was honestly pretty curious as to what was going to happen next or what he was going to do with him at the end of all of this. "Do you know who I am?"

"A predator, a disgusting scumbag who preys on the young and innocent to rip a group apart to satisfy your own sick urges." Lee didn't believe that for a second, he was just still so pissed off. The room was silent and he could feel the tension seething through them both.

"So no then. A week ago, there might have been a station wagon in the woods, full of food, water, weapons, supplies. Things you need to survive." It was him. Lee felt guilt rush over his anger, causing him to lower his guard a bit. Not like he had anything to defend himself anyways.

"So.. It is your car outside. I.. We were-"

"Shut up. I don't want to hear anything until I'm done telling you exactly what happened." Lee listened. I mean, there was a gun pointed at him, what else was he going to do? "I'm not a bad guy, Lee. I'm not like you. I'm not some v-villain. I'm just a.. Dad. I coach little league... Have you ever hurt someone you loved?" The question seemingly came out of nowhere. Lee decided to answer in case saying nothing would earn him a bullet to the head.

"Yes.. But not on purpose." The memories of that night with the state senator came to mind. They didn't hurt as much anymore.

"If it were, you'd be a sociopath. You might still be." He paused, causing anger to cloud Lee once again. "I hurt her, so bad.. Two months into the apocalypse I took my son Adam hunting. I figured he needed to learn if we were going to survive out here. I lost him to t-them.. The look on my wife's face when I came back told me, 'you're a monster.' Do I look like a monster to you?" He sounded pissed, tense. Anybody would be, Lee supposed.

Choices:

A: Yes, you do.

B: No, of course not.

C: We all do.

D: …

Relationships:

Clementine knows you're here. She's so happy you came back for her. 10/10

The stranger has finally met you. Maybe you can convince him to give Clementine back? 3/10

Carley is ready to support you no matter what. 10/10

Chuck hopes you come back okay. 10/10

Omid is crossing his fingers for your safety. 10/10

Christa hopes nothing bad happens to you or Clem. 10/10

Molly has really gotten attached to you. She likes you guys and hopes you stay okay. 10/10

((QOTC: Are you ready for the end of season one? More importantly, are you excited for season two?))


	87. Passing the Torch

Although Lee wanted to lie and tell the man he was an idiotic, unsafe degenerate monster, he had to admit that he didn't look the part. Besides, his rational side told him to calm down. "We all do. Look at me, I look like a walker myself."

"Yeah, we all do. Some more than others." Lee's blood immediately began boiling again at that statement. The stranger took a peek down at a bag beneath his feet with a frown. Lee couldn't make out what was in it though. "A few months later and I had finished stockpiling supplies. I thought if I could just earn her trust back she'd finally forgive me for our son." He stopped talking, looked up at Lee in disgust and continued. "I left it in the station wagon and went back to camp to tell her about it. When we got back you had already stolen half of it."

"Yes, half of it. We never took all of it, and even then we left you with the essentials. Food, water, some gas, that hoodie-"

"You think it lasted? Tell me, Lee, how long did your food last? The food and water you took from me, do you still have it?" Silence. Lee knew that there was none left from the station wagon. They had blown through it with how many people they had. Luckily, the drug store helped quite a bit in terms of supplies and they still had much more of that stuff.

"..We finished that a couple of hours ago. The rest of my supplies are from elsewhere." He admitted, earning a sly smirk from the man as he realized his point was proven. This quickly dropped back to sadness.

"We lasted for a little bit. I still have some of the supplies. Then one day we got into an argument and she left with our daughter. She took most of our supplies, but.. They didn't get far. By then I had already met Clementine. What you didn't take, something that came in real handy, was this." The stranger put down a yellow and black walkie talkie, revealing it to Lee. "This is how I met Clementine. This is how I know so much about her and your group. She's nine years old, her parents' names are Diana and Ed, she's in the fourth grade, she still believes her parents are alive. Most importantly, I know all of the horrible things you've done over the last three months."

"She.. She told you about me?" Lee asked slowly, scared of what she had said.

"About every little thing. You left an innocent man to die for a pretty girl."

"I would have saved them both, I-I just saved Carley first!" Lee knew he was wrong, that he really did want to save both of them. But that memory haunted him and his current girlfriend, even now.

"You told her you were a murderer after a day of knowing her!" The Stranger raised his voice, eyebrows furrowed angrily.

"She had a right to know." Lee replied more calmly. There was nothing wrong with telling Clem in his mind.

"You brought her into a dairy full of sick people, and let them get their hands on her."

"And you're no better? You kidnapped her, who knows what would have happened if I wasn't here right now." Lee argued, his fist clenched over his pants. If only he had kept his gun with him, even if it did only have one bullet left.

"I'm better than you. How about the time you left her alone with two injured men, leaving the stupid kid with the rifle to guard her?" He questioned, raising his gun higher, his finger glistening the trigger.

"Ben did a fine job. Nothing happened."

"And the time you almost got her killed at the train station?" That's when he snapped.

"She isn't a baby, man! You can't baby her. This is life now, this is how the world works! You aren't young or old, dumb or stupid, male or female, you are alive. She needs to learn how to grow up or else she'll end up like everyone else." Lee must have hit a nerve, because the kidnapper didn't talk for several seconds after that. He just stared at the floor and allowed a few tight sighs to escape his throat. He was on the verge of crying it seemed.

"...You're a monster, a murderer and a thief and I'm going to hurt you so bad." Lee knew this was it, that there was no way out of this one. So, fuck it.

"Look, I was bitten, okay?" He doesn't exactly know why he said it. Maybe it made him feel better that someone who was for sure not going to die was gonna take care of her while he was gone. Maybe he was just terrified.

"What..?"

"Earlier today, I got bit by a walker. My people cut the arm off in time, so I might be okay but.. Yeah."

"Okay.. Wow. Uh, Lee.. Listen to me. I have an offer for you. Since you're in no condition to help anyone anymore.. Let me keep her. Let me take her away. I can protect her. I had kids, you had nothing. I can treat her right, I can save her from you." The stranger made an offer that Lee saw only one answer to.

"No. You can't have her. I'd rather die than let her stay with you." He stated, shaking his head. He knew he didn't really have a say, but it didn't matter. This is how he felt.

"...That's a shame. Looks like you've sealed it then." The stranger suddenly lowered the gun ever so slowly, still on Lee but at a lower angle. He looked back down into the bowling bag and began.. Talking? "Hey, honey.. I think this is all gonna work out."

"What are you-" The door behind the stranger interrupted Lee. Out of the corner of his eye, the ex teacher noticed the door slightly open. Clementine poked her head out, her short hair and scared face clearly visible to him. His heart filled with hope and adrenaline when he saw her. He made direct eye contact.

"..I do too. ..Mhm, I know. I'm glad this is all over, isn't it?" The pale man asked Lee, looking up at him for a split second before peering back into the bag.

"Just about." Lee whispered, directing Clementine with his eyes to his bag. She tried picking up his axe but gave up almost instantly. She then noticed Lee's wrench and grabbed it, making her way over, slowly and quietly.

"I miss you so much, Tess. You're gonna like Clementine a lot though. She's not Lizzy but she's sweet. She wouldn't hurt a fly." SLAM. He was hit right in the temple with the weapon, causing him to flinch and yell in pain. Looking back, he became distracted at the sight of 'cute and innocent' Clementine hurting him. Lee responded by standing up and tackling the man out of his seat.

Clementine watched as her capture and father figure began battling, with the stranger on top of Lee. She was terrified out of her mind, watching as Lee got punched repeatedly in the cheek, opening up a cut on his left cheek. Eventually, he was able to garner enough strength to kick him hard, sending the stranger into the foot of his bed. Stunned, he looked around for a weapon to finish the job with. Lee and him noticed that the stranger's gun had landed on the floor near the closet door and began approaching it.

Lee was barely able to get up from the floor in time, shoving his elbow into the man's nose before punching his mouth, blood beginning to drip down his lips. He then took grip of his neck, but since he only had one arm he couldn't keep pressure up for long. The stranger headbutted Lee in the nose before tackling him down to the floor.

"You ruined everything! Just go away! DIE!" Out of nowhere, a bullet hit the main in the side of his skull, killing him instantly. What color was left drained out of him as he went limp on top of Lee. He pushed his corpse off of him, panting heavily. How the hell did he get out of that without a serious injury? Clementine, that's how.

"I..I..I… I shot him." Clementine mumbled, shaking as if she were in a blizzard. Lee got up, walked up to her and leveled with her, opening up his arms for a hug. That's when she noticed his missing limb. "Y-your arm's gone.. Why? That's so scary." She looked terrified, almost assuming he had been bit.

"I.. I'll tell you in a second, okay Clem? I need to ask you a few questions first."

"O-okay.. What is it?"

"Did he hurt you?"

"No.. Not really. I'm so sorry, Lee.." She was starting to tear up and he could tell.

"Hey, it's.. It's okay, honey. Come here." She ran into his arms, wrapping her own around his body. He let a few tears of his own slip out. Oh, and here, you forgot this." He grabbed his bag from the table and searched through, finding her hat. He gave it to her with a warm smile.

"I thought it was gone!" She stated happily, grabbing it from his hands and eagerly putting it back on.

"I thought you were gone." Lee replied, the fear in him slowly fading away.

"Thank you." She replied sweetly. "Where are the others?"

"They're waiting for us on the rooftops. We gotta get going." He answered, filling his pack with the strangers gun.

"Okay.. Even Duck?" Clem questioned, excited to see her old friend again. Lee sighed.

"They uh.. He left with the boat already, sweet pea." He admitted sadly. Her mood dropped off.

"Oh.." She said, staring at the floor quietly.

"I'm sorry. You still have Omid and Christa."

"Yeah.. I'll miss Duck."

"Me too, kiddo. Me too." Lee looked around the place, at the stranger, the adjoined rooms. He felt disgusted that this sick man could get to Clem so easily. "Why did you run away, Clem?" He knew she might not be up to answering that question, but it was important to him to know.

"He said he had my parents, Lee. I don't know why, but.. I believed him. I'm so stupid." She shook her head, annoyed by her rash actions.

"No, you're not. You just made a mistake. Remember the train station? You'll get better." Lee reassured, smiling down at her. She smiled back. Now, is there anything else we need?"

"You still haven't told me about your arm.." She said, pointing at his bandaged nub. He sighed.

"..Alright. Don't panic, I'm sure it's nothing, but.. I got bitten." Her eyes went wilder than a deer in headlights. Her lip pouted and she took a step back.

"What? No, no, no, t-that's not true!" She stuttered out, getting ready to let out the water-works. Lee looked at the nub and without missing a beat, grinned. She looked confused and sad now.

"Calm down, it's fine. I cut it off so I could stay me. I'm not going anywhere, sweet pea." He assured her, kneeling down to put his right hand on her shoulder.

"O-oh.. G-good.. I don't know what I would do if you.." She didn't finish that sentence.

"I don't know what I would do without you." They stayed like that for a minute or so, enjoying each other's company. This was the moment Lee realized everything would be okay, and the moment Clem accepted that he and the rest of her group was her family now. A zombie groan coming from outside brought them out of their trance. Banging on the door was also a bit frightening to the girl. Lee grabbed the gun the stranger had used and walked toward the door. "Stay behind me." He ordered Clementine. She nodded and tip toed back.

Once Lee reached the door, he pulled it open, revealing a walker. He expected this. What he didn't expect was for it to just stand there. It didn't even bother attacking him. Once it set sight on Clementine it began moving and Lee tossed him to the ground, firing the last round of the gun into its head.

"It didn't attack you!" Clementine exclaimed, surprised and scared from the noise.

"Yeah.. It didn't." Lee responded, panting from the adrenaline that pumped itself inside of him the second he laid eyes on the milky white pupils of a walker.

"You're covered in all of that gross stuff." She pointed out.

"Oh yeah, that would explain it. I had this idea initially but we're going to need to spread it on you, too." Lee explained, looking down at the hollow shell of a human on the floor.

"Okay, yeah. Just make it quick. Last time Chuck did it it was really gross." She pleaded, cringing at the thought of getting covered in guts again.

"I'll try." Lee grabbed his axe and gently cut into the walker's stomach, ripping open it's dead flesh. The smell hit him like sour air conditioning, but his intestines were a great tool for spreading walker blood. He grabbed the organ and began rubbing it on his face, legs and as much of his back as he could. "Clem, your turn." She reluctantly walked closer to him, turning around so he could get her back. He smeared the guts as quickly as possible, but the cold, dirty feeling still unsettled her. It would probably unsettle most people.

Once they finished, Lee reached down to her. "Hold my hand the whole time. Don't let go and act like you belong. Okay?" She took his hand and gripped it hard.

"Yeah, I'm ready." The last thing Lee heard before leaving was the sound of another walker groaning inside of the room, something he didn't hear before. It came from the strangers bag.

It began raining when they left. They saw the group waving them down at the jewelry store as they walked through the street. They fired a few shots to get the walkers attention, which helped quite a bit. The two continued walking as these shots were fired, until a walker bumped into Clementine. He was bigger than most of the other walkers. The nine year old looked up at him and began shaking in Lee's hand.

"What's wrong?"

"D-daddy.. He's.. You.." She began crying softly, being pulled into a hug by Lee. The two men looked at each other, right in the eyes. It's almost as if Lee knew exactly what the walker was thinking, and the walker knew exactly what Lee was thinking. That was Ed alright, and he didn't move a muscle after seeing the two. Lee didn't move his mouth, but he did nod at the man. Just then, Clem's mother appeared next to him, looking up at her husband before walking away with him. Clem's crying only became sadder. Lee successfully got them out of there and up to the rooftops.

Upon reaching the rooftops, the group rejoiced, hugging each other and planning some huge party to celebrate (Omid's idea). Clem was still sad, even while talking to her new family. Still, she embraced this change all the way to the edge of Savannah. Upon leaving the state, they found a car that was running on fumes. Luckily, they were able to get it to work and made enough progress on the road to make it to some decent forestry near the countryside. It wasn't exact, they had no roof, but they had gotten to a safer place.

Where would they go from here?

Thank you for reading Season 1

Relationships:

Clementine has never been happier to be with the group. She loves you. 10/10

Carley has high hopes for the future of this group, and of your relationship. 10/10

Omid is ecstatic that Clem and you are safe. 10/10

Christa is more than happy to be a part of such a responsible group with such a responsible leader. 10/10

Chuck is in it for the long haul. He's certainly Molly's best friend. 10/10

Molly adores Chuck, but has a special place in her heart for the entire group. You're stuck with her for as long as she's alive. 10/10

Your Lee was a straight forward, smart and responsible leader who always tried to be on top of things. He was always looking out for others, such as when he volunteered to work on the fence over Mark in case of a fluke, or when he confronted Molly about her past with kindness and respect. He is still alive and happy with his new family.

((QOTC: Well.. What did you think of the finale? There's still 400 days, but after that and Kenny's story, season two is upon us. I would like to thank everyone for reading, especially those who were critical of me. It's helped a lot. Special thanks to Welcome to the 404, Reader 67, Worker72, Sokol848, DoTilaTiDo and many others for helping me out during the tough times and harder decisions of the story. Alt choices will be posted with the finale of 400 Days))


	88. Shel's Story

Two hundred thirty six days into the apocalypse.

A little girl plays a guitar on the kitchen counter of Gil's pitstop, a gas station we previously visited with Russel and Nate. In this group are the cancer survivors from Savannah, two sisters named Shel and Becca, a woman with long black hair about Shel's hair and a bald headed leader named Roman. They all watched Becca play with respectful silence, getting a kick out of hearing instruments when they hadn't heard one in so long.

"She's really good, Shel. I'm glad stuff like this can still happen in such a shitty situation." Stephanie whispered to her friend with a wholesome smile.

"Yeah, it's really refreshing to have music in our lives. I want Becca to be able to experience stuff like this, I would rather not have her to succumb to Vernon's level." She gave a weird look at the old second in command of the group. He was too busy watching the show to notice.

"You mean attempting to rob that group? Sure, the guy was corrupt but he's more merciful than Roman at least." Steph defended, though she didn't really agree with either leader very much.

"I guess so." Just as they finished talking, Becca stopped playing, getting a round of applause from the group.

"That was amazing, Becca." Stephanie praised as she approached her sister.

"Yeah, it was really nice to hear someone play." Shel added, giving her sister a hug.

"Thanks, guys. Hey, you think we could do something like this every week?" Bec asked, stepping away from her sisters embrace after a couple of mushy seconds.

"Maybe. You'll have to ask Roman or Vernon. It would be fun though, having some sort of weekly talent show." Shel suggested.

"I wouldn't mind it. Hey, Becca, did I ever tell you I was in a band?" Roman said, entering the conversation from out of nowhere.

"Yes, Roman, she knows. You've told that story a hundred times." Stephanie said with a chuckle. Roman smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Alright, alright, I'll spare ya."

"Everyone, gather around for announcements." Vernon ordered. He barely looked different aside from a new shirt. Brie was by his side. "Thanks to Boyd's work on the garden, we're having fresh soup tonight, so look forward to that. Shel, Brie, you're in charge of feeding the guard dogs for today. Stephanie, Shel, you're on guns and flashlight duty. Roman and I will be on watch, whilst Clive looks over our medicine. Boyd will be making dinner whilst Joyce is on clean up. Everybody, good luck and stay safe." Once the announcements wrapped up, Becca excitedly ran toward the table of guns and ammo whilst everyone else separated from the room.

"Hey, be careful with those." Shel warned her twelve year old sister.

"Don't worry, sis, I'll be fine. Go feed the guard dogs, I can handle this." Becca replied, picking up a notepad and pen.

"Yeah, don't worry, Shel." Steph reassured, looking over the flashlights. Stephanie gave a concerned look before walking over to the back of the pit stop. There she found Brie staring at a tied up walker. They called them guard dogs since they would alert them of any thieves. This one was an old man who had been shot in the chest.

"Brie? Everything okay?" She asked, catching the woman off guard.

"Huh? Oh, don't mind me, Shel. I'm just.. Thinkin'." She muttered, placing down a bucket of intestines. Shel winced at the smell and look of the organs.

"You wanna talk about it? Shel asked.

"I guess so. Vernon certainly doesn't talk to me anymore so it doesn't hurt conversing with someone else." She looked back up at the young woman, walked a step closer and then whispered in her ear. "I don't feel safe here anymore. I don't trust Vernon, I don't trust Roman, I don't even trust most of my old group."

"Why?"

"Remember a couple weeks back, when we found that old guy? We didn't even hesitate in putting a bullet in him, and they still almost got away with our stuff. This group is fallin' apart. I'm thinkin' of leaving." Brie answered, leaving Shel with a strange feeling.

Choices:

A: You're crazy

B: Maybe that's for the best

C: The group is fine

D: ...

Relationships:

Stephanie and you are good friends. She's the one person you can relate to. 9/10

Becca is your sister and is the most important person to you. 10/10

Vernon and you haven't exactly disliked each other, but you never liked him much either. 6/10

Brie has always been sweet and merciful compared to everyone else in the group. 7/10

Boyd has always been a compassionate guy and is never hostile towards you. 7/10

Clive is a lot more annoying to you, seeing as how he is a stronger member of the groups hierarchy. Still, inoffensive in general. 6/10

Roman is a decent friend to you, but still can be quite frustrating to deal with. 6/10

Joyce hasn't always been very friendly to you and she's kind of a pain in the ass. 5/10

((QOTC: Opinions on the original Shel's story? I vote it as the lamest story with the blandest/worst characters. I hate Bonnie more than Shel but I still don't like this story much. However, it will be important later so might as well tweak it to make it better.))


	89. Intruder Alert

Although Shel was shocked from hearing the woman say this, she understood. "I know how you feel. Maybe it's for the best that you go. I mean, Roman has been getting to Vernon more and more lately and I'm afraid this place is going to end up like.." She trailed off, staring around to see if anyone else could hear them.

"Like everywhere else?" Brie asked, already figuring she agreed with her.

"Yup. Becca doesn't deserve to be put into a situation like that." She replied, folding her arms as she stared at the door.

"I knew a little girl before we joined this group, Clem was her name I think. She was real sweet, always wanted to help. She seemed like she had so much hope for the world. Becca is like the anti version of that. She deserves a real childhood, Shel. If you come with me, escape from here.. We could give her that."

"I dunno, Brie. This place still has food, water, walls, medicine, weapons. We'd probably die out there."

"Well, think about it." Brie stated, bringing the second bucket of guts over to the female guard dog. She happily gobbled it up. "And please don't tell anyone about what was said here."

"You got it." On that ominous note, Shel headed back inside, only to find Becca at the door, popping up from nowhere and startling her. "Ah! Jesus christ, don't you ever fucking do that again!"

"Woah, I'm sorry! I just finished my job and had nothing to do while I waited for you, so-"

"You can't scare people like that, Bec, not anymore. What if I thought you were trying to hurt me? Or if you were one of things!?" Shel scolded, letting out a heavy sigh at the end of her rant.

"Okay, okay, I get it. What's got you so damn tense?" Becca questioned, noticing how her sister was angrier than usual. Usually, Becca would just get a slap on the wrist for something like this.

"It's.. It's just something Brie said about this place." Shel answered slowly.

"What did she say?" Becca asked.

"That it's collapsing, that it's not getting any better, that.. Vernon and Roman will eventually butt heads on how to run things." She explained.

"Nah, those two are good leaders. They'll fight, sure, but who doesn't?" 

"Remember last week, with that old guy and the ginger girl?" Becca remembered. She was the one who made the shot on Leland.

"Yeah, we took that guy hostage for our stuff back." She answered quickly, the memory still fresh in her mind,

"Do you hear that sentence? Brie isn't the type of person to just take innocent people hostage. She's..-" Becca was interrupted by the sound of quick footsteps from the kitchen.

"Shel, Becca, come quick!" Stephanie yelled, slamming the pantry door open.

"What's up?" Shel asked.

"There's someone out front, they caught him sneaking around. Vernon and Roman want you both outside." The three girls headed out to the parking lot, finding the group of mostly elderly surrounding a young man, beaten, cut up and tied up with a rag around his eyes.

"What did you do to him?" Shel asked. It was weird of her to assume Roman had done this considering he was never really violent to others. He picked up on that. Vernon answered for him.

"Nothin', he already had the cuts and bruises when he showed up. Guard dogs alerted us that he was here so I tied him up and put the rag on him." The old former cancer patient replied.

"It doesn't matter, he tried to steal from us. Even if we did beat him down, it would have been garnered." Roman added, glaring down at the man. He was muttering in Spanish, just constantly talking to himself.

"What did he grab?" Becca asked, silently deciding how she wanted this done.

"Anything he could get his hands on, medicine, food, ammo mostly." Clive answered.

"This is the second time this month. We can't just ignore this." Roman stated with gritted teeth.

"But we can't just kill him! We did the same thing to Lee's group, or tried to." Brie said.

"And look what happened, we all made it out. What if he comes back and tries to take more?" Vernon questioned, taking out his pistol. His hands didn't even shake or hesitate.

"What if he doesn't? What if he's alone and was desperate?" Boyd asked, defending the man.

"And if a hundred bandits come through, what are you going to do?" Joyce asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I agree with Boyd. Look, I don't want us to murder a man in cold blood if he's just desperate. He deserves a second chance." Stephanie argued.

"Alright, alright.. Vernon, let's try it this way: Everybody votes on what they want." Roman proposed. This made everyone decently happy.

"Works for me. I vote to let him live." Now that was a surprise from Vernon.

"Fine. My vote is that we can't let him threaten our group like this without asserting our own dominance. This will keep happening if we keep letting people go. We kill him." Typical fucking Roman.

"I agree! This group works because we can communicate with each other, because we can all depend on each other for survival. Imagine what would happen if one of us were to go missing, or die! We kill him." Joyce stated, glaring at the man with clear frustration.

"We let him go, it's the only reasonable choice! We aren't monsters, this group won't succumb to that, not now not ever." Boyd answered.

"Thank you, I agree with Boyd. Sure, the risk is high, but it'll be the same risk if we kill him. This could change everything about our group. If we go in that direction, this will become a group that nobody wants to be a part of, a group like Crawford." Stephanie's explanation caused the cancer survivors to anger and saddened at the mention of that place. They had told this group about it before to prevent history from repeating itself.

"I'll have to say spare him. I.. Just can't murder a man in cold blood, even indirectly." Brie muttered, lowering her head.

"What is wrong with you people? He tried to steal from us! He deserves to die. What if there's a whole group of them out there?" Becca asked, getting a shocked look from both Shel and Stephanie.

"Becca.." Shel offered her hand for comfort but Becca pushed it away.

"It's my choice, Shel. Feel free to make your own." The young girl replied, saddening Shel even more.

"You guys don't understand what this could do to our group's rep. How many bandits are going to catch wind of the new dumb, weak group in town who can't defend themselves? It will be the end of all of us if we let this man go now." Clive brought up many great points. Points Shel had to now consider. God, she was scared.

"Well, you're the swing vote here, Shel. Whatever you say will be the last decision, it'll determine what happens. Choose wisely." Vernon stated, handing his gun to Roman. The former of whom pressed the gun against the back of the young man's skull.

Choices:

A: Let him go.

B: Kill him.

Relationships:

Stephanie is depending on your vote to save this man's life. You're best friends at this point. 9/10

Brie is thankful you agree with her and won't tell anyone about what she said. 8/10

Vernon is hoping you make the merciful decision and spare this man's life. 6/10

Roman wants you to agree with him JUST this once. 6/10

Clive knows what's the right decision. He kinda wishes you weren't the last vote, but if you pick his choice, he'll be happier. 6/10

Boyd knows you'll pick the right decision. He really hopes that good heart of yours can help out here. 7/10

Joyce hopes you choose to kill the man, you'd be saving all of them in her logic. 5/10

Becca hopes you side with her, since you are her sister and all. 10/10

((QOTC: Do you prefer the games over any other Walking Dead media? When it comes to seasons 1, 4 and 2, yes. 3 and Michonne? Eh.. Not so much. I hate the show tho.))


	90. Sparing The Thief

It was an obvious choice to her. What Brie said earlier was true, this group will fall apart if we do something like this. "We let him go. We are not becoming like them." Shel answered. Becca and Roman rolled their eyes at her, whilst Joyce just looked frightened. Clive looked annoyed and everyone else who sided with her smiled.

"Fine. Boyd, get him a few cans as a sign of good faith." Roman instructed. The old man rushed to the kitchen to grab some food for the poor spaniard. "Now, I don't know if you can understand a word I'm saying, but you BETTER understand this: Stay the fuck away from here unless you want you and your friends to die. We're sparing your life, find it in your heart to spare ours. Now get the hell outta here." He shoved the man away from the group, cut out his bindings and took off the blindfold on his face just as Boyd got back.

"You made the right choice, Shel. Thank you." Brie told the young woman, heading back to the pit stop's interior.

"No.. No.. Look at what you've done." Joyce muttered, getting down on her knees.

"This is a bad idea." Clive insisted, glaring at the foreigner.

"It was the group's choice. Now, everyone get back to work." Vernon directed, pointing at their home. Roman walked up to the leader and stared at him with frustration in his eyes.

"If any of us die because of this mistake, your days as leader are over." The bald co-leader announced to him.

"Fair enough." Vernon replied, shrugging as the thief ran off into the woods.

"Glad you agree. I'll see you at dinner." Roman walked off, hitting Vernon's shoulder with his own as he walked past him.

One week later

It was the dead of night. A genuinely calm and peaceful night, actually. Mostly everyone was sleeping, save for Brie and Stephanie who were on watch, and Shel and Becca who were staying up to talk. They lied down on their beds and stared at the ceiling whilst discussing random topics.

"So, what do you think? A weekly talent show is a good idea?" Shel asked her younger sister.

"I think I might like it more than just me playing. Roman could finally prove that he really was a drummer." Becca answered, nodding with thoughts of watching their co-leader bang on drums lousely.

"Yeah, if only we HAD drums."

"Still no way of proving him right then?" The two of them laughed from the twelve year old's joke.

"'Fraid so. Also, uh.. Becca.." Shel trailed off, thinking about if she should bring this up.

"Yeah?" Becca asked.

"About that guy I spared.."

"Don't worry about it, sis. It's been a full week. Nothing's happened so far, everyone is reasonably happy. I see no problem with sparing them anymore, even if I think you still should have killed the guy. I still kinda think it was too risky to leave him alive." Becca interrupted, warranting a smile from Shel.

"I guess so. Still, I don't want murdering and extreme punishment to be who we are, you know?"

"I get that." Becca let out a yawn before curling up more comfortably against her sheets. "Welp.. Time to sleep, I'd say."

"Yeah, get some rest. I'm sure we'll have a bunch of chores in the morning." Shel agreed, placing her head down on her pillow.

"Goodnight, Shel." Becca hummed.

"Night, Becca." Hours went by of peaceful slumber. Well, at least for Becca. Shel couldn't sleep for some odd reason. There was a feeling in her gut telling her something wasn't right.

Gentle knocking on the RV door was heard from Shel, though it was extremely quiet. She glanced up, slowly took off her covers and slipped her shoes on, walking towards the door. She opened it as quietly as she could, meeting the heads of Brie and Stephanie outside. "Yeah? What's up?" Shel whispered, unsure of why they were here so late.

"Come on, Shel, we're leaving tonight. Get Becca, we found a hole we could sneak out of." Stephanie explained.

"What?!" Shel almost shouted. Thank god she didn't.

"Shh.." Brie shushed, looking around. "This could be our only chance. If going on foot sounds too dangerous for you, let us in your RV so we can drive away. There's no way in hell I'm stayin' here any longer." The chubby woman whispered.

"But.. Why?" Shel questioned, somewhat already knowing the answer.

"This group is gone. We may have saved that man, but I could tell Roman wasn't happy about it. I feel like he's this close to ending Vernon's leadership, if you know what I mean." Brie was insinuating betrayal? Now that she thought about it.. It was a possibility.

"But you don't know that for sure." She whispered, trying to at least somewhat defend Roman.

"It's inevitable, Shel. You saw how hostile he was last week." Stephanie made a valid point. Still, Shel was confused.

"Stephanie.. Why are you going?" She asked.

"Are you kidding? I've wanted to leave here ever since last month. I wasn't even supposed to be here for more than a week." Stephanie had been a squatter in the group, escaping a group called Woodbury. She had heard they were going through some rough times and felt like it was time to leave the pit stop, but..

"But Vernon's law prohibited leaving. Which means escaping is just as dangerous as staying." Shel finished.

"But it's worth a shot. Get out of here before Roman can get his hands on you. Before it's too late." Brie pressured. Shel hesitated.

"I.. But, what about the food, and water, and ammo and other supplies here? It would be a death gamble if we left here." The skinny brunette pointed out.

"That's why we took some." Stephanie showed a bag filled to the brim with meds, food, water and ammo.

"Stephanie! Stealing?!" Shel whisper shouted, absolutely stunned at their treachery.

"We have to go, Shel. Now. Brie trusted you, and you are my best friend. I believe we can make a go of this. Please, come with us?"

Choices:

A: Alright, let's go.

B: No way, you're on your own.

C: Don't go!

Relationships:

Becca is a bit upset you spared that guy, but understands why you did. 9/10

Stephanie is glad you spared Roberto, she believes you're one of few people with a moral code around here. 10/10

Brie is also glad you spared Roberto and trusts you as a friend. 9/10

Roman disagrees with your choice and thinks you are weak. 5/10

Vernon is happy you sided with him, he believes you are morally correct in most situations and trusts you. 7/10

Clive disagrees with your choice. 5/10

Joyce heavily disagrees with your choice, she believes you've doomed everyone. 4/10

Boyd is happy to see one other person with a morally correct stand point. 8/10

((QOTC: So, you all see the cover art as a boring picture of Lee from the game. I thought to myself, what if I were to get a custom cover art? If anyone wants to edit, draw or hell even SFM a cover art for me, send it to me via Email! If you can't draw or provide any photos, suggest a different picture in your review instead if you have any ideas. That is all.))


	91. Greene's Farm for Peaceful Survivors

Shel looked back inside the camper, Becca still fast asleep. She nodded and motioned for them to come in. "Let's go. I'll drive."

"S-Shel..? What's going on?" The young girl slowly awoke, looking around the RV. She immediately noticed Brie and Stephanie. Glancing back up at her sister in panic, she put two and two together. "Why are they here?"

"Becca, sit tight, we're getting out of here." Shel responded, starting up the car.

"What?! No! Shel, wait-" Becca was cut off as the vehicle began moving, breaking through a wall. Roman, Clive and Vernon ran outside but could never catch up to the RV.

"I'm sorry, Becca, but it will be safer!" Stephanie assured to no avail.

"She's right! Just trust us!" Brie added.

"How can I trust thieves?!" Becca demanded to know, getting silence in return as they drove down the long, straight road.

"I'm so sorry, Becca." Shel muttered, clutching the wheel for dear life.

"Please, turn back, Shel!" The young girl pleaded.

"There's no time left! We'll be safer, I promise." Shel replied, shutting down her sister for good. Becca proceeded to silently rant and panic to herself as the rest of the group discussed where to go next. They had made a pit stop near a sign and saw an 'ad' of sorts for a place called the Greene's Farm for Peaceful Survivors. They followed a trail there for about four days before finally finding it, joining up with the rest of the group.

Vernon's group never found them, and gave up the search a week and a half later.

Relationships (Shel):

Becca is disappointed in your decision but has grown to understand what you did. 8/10

Stephanie is proud of you for remaining a peaceful, calm person who is good in a crisis. 10/10

Brie is thankful you saved her from that place. 10/10

Vernon and the other cancer survivors can't believe what you did. If they ever find you again, who knows what they would do. 1/10

* * *

400 Days Later…

A big black lady with large poofy hair and a walkie talkie strapped to her belt was patrolling the area from which Shel and Becca escaped from, where Russel and Nate had robbed that old couple, where the cop Danny and Justin met officially died for survivors. It was desolate now, only walkers infesting it, and even then very few.

A new board was found near it, along with a map. This was the same map that Shel had come across months ago. The woman brought her walkie talkie to her lips and began to speak. "I found their note, Stan, this is it."

"Holy shit, good job! How many people are we talking here, Tavia?" Stan asked, astounded. At this point in the apocalypse, people were not easy to come by, especially not hostile people.

"About seven, I think. Maybe more." Tavia responded, collecting each of their pictures off of the board. For some reason, they were posted all over.

"That's so many! Bill's definitely gonna like this." The man replied, sounding overjoyed.

"Tell me about it." Tavia replied casually, a smile tugging at her lips.

"So, you know where they are?" He questioned. She looked up at the map and looked it over, recognizing the area the group had marked.

"It says they're held up at the old Greene's farm. That's about two days away, so I'll keep brakes to a minimum." The woman answered confidently.

"Well, either way, good luck out there. Report to me by night fall." Stan ordered, signing off.

"You got it." With that conversation done, Tavia put the map in her pocket and got back in her car, heading off to Georgia. It was a long drive, maybe, but she knew her boss would love new, healthy hands around the hardware store.

Two days later, at around nine o' clock, she found smoke rising above a house. She followed it all the way down this fenced trail. The fences didn't look so good, a messy patch up that wouldn't hold more than twelve walkers, and even less people. After parking in front of the house, she found herself getting surrounded by people. She quickly radioed her friend. "Stan, just so you know, I found them. I'll answer back soon." She clicked the off button and slowly got out of the car. Guns were being pointed at her as she exited, so she brought her hands up in response.

"Don't move!" Danny ordered, aiming a glock straight at her forehead.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you." She stated calmly, staying right where she was next to her sedan.

"That's what they all say." Eddie replied, almost cutting her off.

"I know, and I'm telling you the truth. I don't want any trouble." Tavia responded, keeping her hands raised.

"Are you bitten?" Stephanie asked, walking over with Bonnie, Shel, Shawn, Becca and Brie.

"No, you can even check me if it makes you feel better. I just wanted to talk to you about something important, make an offer."

"Well, go ahead. We're listenin'." Bonnie nodded, putting her gun away. No one else withdrawed.

"We run a settlement a couple days away. I found your note back at that pitstop, and was here to make an offer: We have food, walls, enough water for fifty plus people, electricity, an up and coming greenhouse, and all we ask is for you to help and support our group." Tavia explained. The group looked at each other with suspicion and surprise.

"This sounds too good to be true." Justin shook his head, almost smiling from the thought of a place like that.

"I don't know.. She doesn't look like a bullshitter." Shawn said, staring the woman down whilst lowering his weapon.

"It probably is too good to be true. We had almost all of those things with Vernon, and look how that turned out." Stephanie stated.

"Well.. Why don't you prove that what you're saying is true." Wyatt suggested, not moving his gun once. "I mean, you look well fed, you smell decent from here. But just show us something concrete."

"Good thinking, man." Eddie told his best friend. Tavia brought a hand into her pocket, everyone looking out for a gun or other weapon. She instead pulled out a walkie talkie.

"Stan," Tavia started.

"What's up?" He responded only seconds later.

"I'm at the camp, and they're having doubts. Can you tell them how it is up there?" Everyone kept their ears open, listening for a reply. He sounded friendly enough.

"Sure. Look guys, you don't have to come at all, but if you do, you'll be joining something great. We're a huge community, there are tons of us. It can be a pain working around, but it'll be a hell of a lot more comfortable than that busted up camp you got now." He finished, earning a couple of non suspicious looks. Almost everyone was happy with his response, though some were still suspicious.

"Well.. Fuck it, I believe her." Justin said, putting his gun away.

"Justin is the king of bullshit. Sure, if you say so, man, I'll go too. I might even find people I know." Danny copied him, putting his gun back in his pocket.

"We owe it to Vince to live better lives." The white collar criminal said.

"Damn straight." Danny replied, shaking his hand, something they had begun doing ever since they became closer.

"Exactly! That's the best part. We have people of all ages, entire families. This is a chance to open up your life like it used to be. So, anyone else?" Tavia asked, holding her hand out as if she was offering them to hold it.

"I see no reason not to trust her. Like she said, there could be so much there, and it's better going somewhere safe and protected than staying at this place. We're going to die here if we don't do something about our shitty defense.. Yeah, I'll go." Bonnie got glares from both Shawn and Becca, but everyone else seemed fine.

"Of course you don't want to stay, Bonnie, you're scared of the outdoors ever since Leland abandoned you." Becca mocked, folding her arms sternly.

"He- you weren't..-"

"Becca, that's not fair. What Leland did was out of her control. And for the record, I'm on her side. We're going." Shel disclosed.

"But, Shel, we're safer here, right?" Becca looked up at Stephanie and Brie, hoping they'd take her side.

"Shel.. Come on. You know how we feel about big groups." Stephanie said, trying to side with the young girl.

"Stephanie, this is my decision. I'm sorry that we've had bad experiences with large groups before, but I believe in a secure future, not.. This." Shel looked around at the old, broken down barn and house. The crops they were making aren't growing and food was at an all time low. Still, it wasn't terrible.

"Plus, you'd get protection from anyone on the outside trying to get to you. We got your backs." Tavia assured, giving a smile.

"That settles it, we're going." Shel stated. Becca rolled her eyes.

"Fine." She grumbled.

"Us too. We aren't starving out here again." Wyatt spoke up, raising his hand.

"Agreed. Besides, those backwoods still freak me the fuck out." Eddie stated.

"Perfect. Don't worry, I get it. People can be sick nowadays, always really. Just worse now. You three, what'll it be?" Tavia looked at Shawn, Steph and Brie, who had been mostly silent throughout her short stay.

"I..I dunno. After my dad died, I took charge of this place. I was the one who kept it up, met Eddie, Danny, Justin and Wyatt. I know this place is shitty, but-"

"Dude, your dad would want you to be in a safer place, why do you think he left?" Wyatt asked the farmer's son.

"Besides, if agriculture is your thing, we have just the job for you. We manage crops on our own and would love your help." Tavia offered.

"Yeah.. That sounds nice. We would have a stable food supply if we had the right tools but most of them either went missing or broke. You know what? I'm in." Shawn said with a smile.

"Fuck yeah." Danny enthused.

"You're makin' a great decision, Shawn. Thank you for comin' along." Bonnie said, gaining a hug from her friend.

"Ladies, last call." Eddie mocked, leaning against the car as Wyatt got their stuff. Other group members began gathering bags as well.

"I.. I can't. Big groups are behind me now. My new life is in quiet, small communities. I'm sorry." Brie apologized, sitting back down near the campfire.

"Suit yourself. Stephanie, you're coming with us, right?" Shel questioned her best friend. She didn't care too much for Brie, even if Brie did like her. She could live without her.

"I don't know. Brie's lifestyle has kept us away from people for a while. Maybe it's the way to go. People are trouble, Shel. I just.. Don't trust em." Stephanie looked down, knowing she was disappointing her friend. Tavia, however, could make a choice.

Choices:

A: Try to convince Stephanie.

B: Let her go.

Who is coming with you?

Danny

Justin

Bonnie

Shel

Becca

Stephanie)?)

Shawn

Wyatt

Eddie

((QOTC: You may be wondering where Russel and Nate are. That's up to you to decide. Tell me where you think they are. Don't worry, this won't affect the story, since I already have plans for them. But still, give me some theory's.))


	92. Season One Finale

Shel sighed, looking down. She knew that this is what her friend wanted, this is what made her comfortable. Might as well let her be free and safe. "Okay.. You can stay here. Just promise me you two will keep each other safe, and stay how you are?"

"Of course. You too, Shel." Stephanie stood inches away from her friend before embracing her in a hug. It lasted a few seconds before they let go. Shel turned around from the camp and faced Tavia.

"So, we all done here?" Danny asked the leading woman.

"Er, yeah. One last thing." Tavia said, taking out the pictures of the group. "What do you wanna do with these?" Danny grabbed the pictures, walked close to the fire, looked back at the group and then threw them into the flames. The group just watched the fire consume the photographs. It didn't affect them too much. They already knew the days of pictures were over.

"How do we know this will work?" Bonnie questioned Tavia. The woman searched for the right response in her head before looking back up at the eagerly awaiting group of survivors.

"What's the alternative?" That question hit them good. They knew if they stayed away from big groups, they'd all end up dead. Stephanie and Brie seemed to prefer that outcome than ever risking another group like the cancer survivors again. Everyone began collecting their belongings as Tavia got back in the driver's seat of her car.

* * *

((And that is it for season one. It's been a legendary journey and I never thought I would ever get this big in the community. To all of you, all I have to say is thank you for reading.

Now, time for the alternate choices!

Chapter 80: What to trade?

This one is simple, whatever you trade you don't have anymore. If Lee didn't have the axe, he'd have a harder time cutting open the walker in the Marsh House, if he didn't have the water he'd be parched throughout the entire episode and low on energy. The gas wouldn't have done too much either.

Chapter 81: Fight or Hide?

If you had chosen to fight the walkers and defend the house, Chuck and Molly would go into a Carley or Doug situation if you know what I mean. Pretty much, you'd have to pick one to save over the other. Other than that, everything is like in canon.

Chapter 82: Apologize to Carley.

Saying I love you or I'm sorry would have gotten a positive reaction from Carley. Saying don't be mad or nothing would make you lose points with her (2 at most). Hint, if Carley's relationship points go to seven or lower, she probably won't want to be with you anymore.

Chapter 83: Which story to tell?

This would just change which story you tell. I thought it would be interesting to give you the choice of choosing which story you all find interesting.

Chapter 84: Expose Christa's Secret?

You guys decided not to. Her secret is obvious to anyone who's played season two, but if you had exposed her for it, she wouldn't have drank that alcohol. Just think about that.

Chapter 85: Who goes first?

If lightest went first, Molly would have gone first. She would have gone down with Lee, but unfortunately would die saving him. Nobody else would go down since Lee and Molly got it covered. Jumping down by yourself is self explanatory and is basically just what happens in canon, minus the extra steps.

Chapter 86: Is the Stranger a monster?

If you told him yes or ..., your relationship points would plummet to the bottom. It doesn't really matter much though so don't worry. However, if you had said no, he would have let Lee go with Clementine, as long as he killed him before they left. Dark, I know.

Chapter 88: Brie's plan.

Calling Brie crazy would discourage her from bringing you on her escape. Similarly in canon, she would get caught with Stephanie after the bandit attack that kills Boyd. You would have the choice to kill them, free them or run away. If you had said nothing, she would determine that you agree with her but just don't want anyone to hear you and the result would be the same as in our original choice.

If you had said the group is fine, only Stephanie would try to escape after the bandit attack, and things would be the same as in canon. Brie would still be with Roman's group.

Chapter 89: Let the bandit go?

If you let him go, he ends up coming back after you left. The bandits kill Boyd before being scared off. This ultimately deters Roman's group from staying at the pit stop. Vernon is overthrown as leader and put into a peasant status. Clive becomes second in command and Roman becomes leader. If you killed him, they would not come back since the bandit never went back to his friends to alert them of your group. Instead, Boyd gets to live and the group stays at the pit stop.

Chapter 90: Leave the group?

If you decline, then Brie and Stephanie run away on their own and end up escaping to their own camp in the woods where they live happily for the rest of the game. If you told them to stay, they would escape when they normally would in canon, a week after the attack.

Chapter 91: Convince Stephanie to come?

You guys chose for her to stay, and now she gets to live a relatively peaceful off screen life free from an on screen endangerment. If you had made her go, well.. She would go with you, duh.

For now, that's all. Tomorrow, I shall post the first episode of Kenny's story. I hope you're all very excited for it.

QOTC: Which choice would you have rather made out of the ones I presented? Which ones would you avoid like the plague?))


	93. Kenny's Crew

Twelve months in.

A small group of four is standing on a wooden dock. It's the middle of the day, and all of them carry bags over their shoulders filled with supplies. Seagulls caw and waves crash against the boardwalk they stand on. Kenny is the leader of this group, consisting of his son Duck, Ben and Travis. The island in question is Miami Beach near Florida.

"Alright, everyone on the boat." Kenny ordered. His mustache had fully evolved into a beard, though very unkempt and bushy compared to his usual clean facial hair. His face also looked a little harder somehow.

"Dad.. Can I ask you something?" Duck asked, twiddling his thumbs. He was eleven now, but he didn't look much older. His arms and legs were a bit thicker, and his face was dirtier from a couple of walker kills in the past. He had certainly matured. Kenny barely recognized him anymore.

"Sure, sport, what's up?" The father responded, kneeling down to check out the battery life of the boat. Not much.

"Well.. I like it here,"

"We all like it here. It's bullshit we're leaving." Travis muttered, sitting down on one of the back seats. The kid had grown a bit of stubble and was a bit skinnier, nothing else was changed from his appearance.

"Relax, Travis." Ben tried to soothe his friend. He had a full beard now, blonde and thin around his lips.

"And uh.. Why do we have to leave?" The young boy asked.

"Like I told you, son, I don't wanna leave either. There's few walkers and almost no people, but that's the problem. We ain't gonna find anymore food here if we stay, and we ain't gonna find a bigger group to help us make somethin' of our camp." The fisherman answered.

"But we could just go fishing!" Travis yelled as Ben sat down next to him. Duck went into the front sea.

"Unless you wanna go deep sea diving to find the last few fish around this area, I seriously doubt that. Something's wrong with the water life. Look, I know a lot of ya'll ain't happy with leaving, but I promise you we'll find somewhere better." Kenny got a serious glare from Travis. His son looked worried.

"Look, Kenny's right. This place has been picked clean for the most part, maybe we should go somewhere else." Ben said, defusing the situation.

"Kids right. Besides, if you don't like it, you can leave." The two stared at each other for seconds before Travis gave up, rolling his eyes and folding his arms.

"Whatever.."

"Alright, everyone got their stuff?" Kenny asked, getting the boat engine ready for acceleration.

"Yup." Travis answered, looking to the side at the water swaying back and forth.

"Yep." Ben nodded, staring down at his pistol.

"Mhm." Duck murmured, watching the open sea with his dad up front.

"Great. We'll stop at mainland. Hopefully the battery'll last that long. For now, try not to interrupt me unless you need to take a piss or something." No one responded as Kenny began driving down the water, the boat they had found all the way back in Savannah trailing down the ocean away from the island.

"So.. How are you doing?" Ben asked his best friend.

"Honestly, Ben? I feel like crap." Travis replied, staring down at his sleeved up arm.

"I get that. But, you're not having those.. Problems, right?"

"I try not to. I try to convince myself the blood draws the dead, but it's been difficult to deal with. Thanks for being there." Travis responded, placing a hand on the scrawnier teens shoulder.

"You'd do the same for my dumbass any day." Ben said, smiling. A rare sight for the blonde.

"True. Still, I'm surprised you ever forgave me for being such an asshole during my recovery.. And before it." Travis said.

"I'm surprised you ever forgave me!" Ben exclaimed, getting a chuckle from Travis.

"How about you, kiddo? Feeling decent?" Kenny asked his son.

"I just want to sleep." Duck said, letting out a yawn.

"Nightmares?" His father questioned. Duck nodded.

"..Yeah. How did you know?" The eleven year old asked. Kenny looked back at the windshield.

"I've been having them too. About.. Your mother." He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds before shaking his head. Duck looked a bit scared.

"Don't be like her, please." He stated shyly.

"Never, buddy, I swear." Kenny whispered aloud, furrowing his brows in determination. The ride went silent for a bit.

"Kenny, any locations specifically in mind?" Travis questioned the leader.

"Eh, we've been hearing a lot from that place up North. Was thinkin' we make a break for over there." Kenny suggested.

"Wellington? We haven't talked about that place since Eddie first arrived." Ben stated, the name of the place sounding so foreign.

"That guy was a fucking psycho. How are we supposed to believe anything he says?" Travis asked.

"Because, he may have been crazy, but he was also smart. The guy made it all the way here in a day with no one but himself." Kenny replied.

"I wouldn't wanna align with a creep like that either." Ben muttered.

"He was okay. Nice to me." Duck defended.

"Maybe that walker thing was just a coping mechanism?" Ben suggested, referring to Eddie's.. Oddly excessive way of killing zombies.

"Nuh-uh, no one fucks up walkers that bad. Not even bite victims." Travis replied. Kenny and Ben suddenly looked a bit sad from that comment.

"Shit." Kenny mumbled.

"What?" Travis questioned.

"Nothing, nothing. Just got me remembering Lee." The ex fisherman answered.

"You ever think about what happened to them? Lee, Clementine, Carley, Chuck, Molly, Omid, Christa?" Travis listed the names, bringing memories from the first three months back.

"I try not to. It uh, gets to me. I don't even know why." Kenny responded after a moment of thinking about them.

"We never did say goodbye to Lee. Not officially." Ben brought up. Hell, they don't even know if he survived the amputation.

"Maybe that's why." Kenny shrugged.

"Could be." Ben shrugged back, putting his gun away after inspecting the barrel. They had a decent amount of ammo, surprisingly.

"And we never did learn if they saved Clementine from that creep.." Travis mumbled.

"They did." Duck aggressively responded, looking back at Travis with a mean look.

"How can you be so sure?" The black haired teen questioned.

"He got her. Lee wouldn't give up on that girl, trust me." Kenny backed up his son, not wanting to believe such a sweet little girl like Clementine could die.

"I'm just saying, it's possible they did die."

"..Don't."

The rest of the ride was quiet. The engine made up the ambience along with the water and animals around them. They were close enough to the mainland when suddenly their boat stopped dead in its tracks. They were around an hour away from land so instinctively, Kenny bent down to inspect the battery. "What happened? Why did we stop?" Travis asked, looking around for any threats under the boat.

"The battery.. It's dead." Kenny grumbled out, allowing himself to curse under his breath in anger, a habit he had picked up to not attract attention from the dead.

"Shit." Ben muttered, looking up. What he saw in the distance caused him to widen his eyes.

"What are we gonna do?" Duck asked his father. Kenny, Duck and Travis finally noticed the oncoming boat coming their way. It was only slightly longer than their motorboat, but it was a paddle boat. It looked like there were four people on it.

"You think they're friendly?" Travis asked.

"I don't know. Eddie was, but we might not be that lucky twice." Kenny replied quietly as the boat drew closer.

"What's our game plan then?" Ben questioned. Kenny had to make another important choice for his group, and this time Lee wouldn't be around to pull him out of a bad call.

Choices:

A: Pull out your weapons the second they get close.

B: Ask for help.

Relationships:

Duck is your son. You'll protect him no matter what. 10/10

Ben is a dumb kid, but he's alright. He's gotten better over time. 8/10

Travis is a bit of a pain in the ass, but he's the second smartest member of the group too. 7/10

((QOTC: So.. What do you think of this premise? Who will make appearances from season one? Will there be other characters from seasons other than season one? You'll just have to find out! Tell me if this scenario sounds good so far in the reviews and I'll see you all tomorrow.))


	94. Pirates or Saviours?

((Just wanna mention that the Eddie guy the group mentioned in part one is not Eddie from 400 Days. He is an OC based on the GTA character of the same name. I thought the stache group having no interaction at all would be a bit weird, which is why they met him. He wasn't a big threat but he is dead now as he attempted to attack another survivor after getting off the island, which backfired. Anyways, enjoy.))

Kenny raised his hands in the air and began waving them to call for help. "Don't take out your guns yet, it's best to wave em down and see if they're friendly." He whispered to the group. Duck and Ben nodded, holding their hands up in solidarity.

"And if they're not?!" Travis questioned, obviously scared. His right hand hovered over his back pocket, where his gun was.

"Duck down and wait for me to clear em out. We'll take their boat IF they aren't friendly. For now, play nice." Kenny explained, his tone becoming more stern. Travis rolled his eyes and rose his arms, surrendering. The boat got closer and the figures on the wooden paddle boat were more visible. There were two women, an Asian man who looked around twenty and an older male with a rough face. The women and man beside the older male, who appeared to be their leader, held assault rifles, though they weren't aimed at the group. "Heya! You guys friendly? Our batteries run out and we're looking for a trade!"

"We don't want any trouble!" Ben yelled out. The man sized the group up, smirking at the sight of the kid and nervous teams.

"You don't look too threatening. Y'all got names?" The leader questioned, stepping forward. The boats were only six feet apart.

"I'm Kenny. My boy's name is Duck, that there is Ben and that's Travis." Kenny responded, pointing at the boys with one hand whilst holding up his other.

"Interesting. Your battery is dead, huh?" The male asked, kneeling with one leg to lean closer.

"Yeah, we're in a bit of a jam. Can you help us?" Kenny asked.

"..Sure. We can help. But, you'll have to help us with something too." The man responded, smirking like the biggest asshole on earth. It gave Travis and Kenny bad vibes while Ben was just creeped out.

"Anything! We really need to get back to shore." Duck spoke before his dad, eager to leave the middle of the ocean.

"Well, climb aboard. We'll send some people to look over your boat." The man offered his hand, no one took it just yet though.

"Uh.. I'm not sure if this is a good idea." Ben whispered to their leader.

"How do we know he won't kidnap us or something?" Travis muttered, catching the eye of the graying man.

"Because, if I wanted to kidnap you, I would have done it already. My group needs your help." Everybody looked at each other, thinking this through. They weren't expecting him to hear them.

"Alright. Come on." Kenny commanded, grabbing the man's hand. "What's your name anyways?"

"Randall. Apologies for skippin' the pleasantries on my part." Randall answered, pulling Duck, Ben and Travis up after Kenny.

"It's fine. I get it." The ex fisherman replied.

"It's nice to find more people out here. There's almost nobody in this area." Travis noted, smiling at the intimidating guards. They shrugged, except for the male who smiled back.

"Not always pleasant to have people around. Lotta sick fucks out there, you know." Randall replied, sitting down across from the four who sat together. "So.. Lemme give you the mission briefing: We had a thief come in a couple days ago. We need you and to go check out the nearby forests to find her."

"What's she look like?" Ben asked, hugging his knees.

"She's around thirty, brown medium length hair, a tough bitch. She wears this camo jacket and pants which makes her a bit of a pain in the ass, but we have spotted her a few times. She's alone as far as we know, and we have no idea where her camp is." The appearance sounded somewhat familiar, but Kenny wasn't sure how.

"You want her back alive or dead?" Kenny asked.

"Alive. It doesn't matter how injured she is or what you did before, as long as she's able to speak, you're golden." Randall answered.

"Okay. Fine. What's in it for us?" The mustachioed man followed up.

"I'm glad you asked. You get a battery for your engine boat, a bag of essential supplies and if we happen to get our supplies back too, I wouldn't mind doing other repairs on your boat." Randall explained, folding his arms whilst hoisting one of his legs over the other.

"That's incredible!" Duck exclaimed, causing the older man to smile.

"Yeah, thanks so much!" Ben agreed. Travis and Kenny were still a bit suspicious.

"Don't thank me yet. We'll take you to the last place we saw her, and you can work from there. Y'all got guns on you?"

"Yeah, pistols only though." Kenny answered.

"So you are friendly, not just desperate. Norma would like you, even if you are weak." Randall muttered with a light laugh.

Choices:

A: What was that?!

B: Who's Norma?

C: Thanks?

D: …

Relationships:

Duck is okay with your decision as he is desperate to leave the sea. 10/10

Ben is extremely happy you decided to play nice. These people already terrify him. 9/10

Travis would have rather intimidated Randall and his people than look weak. 7/10

Randall likes you, even if he thinks you're weak. 6/10

((QOTC: Thoughts on Randall? I love the guy even if he is a bit generic, maybe too similar to Troy and Abel.))


	95. Scouting

Ignoring the dickish comment, Kenny held himself back and instead tried to act logical. "Norma? Who's she?" He asked the question on everyone's mind.

"My sister, leader of our group. She's the brains of this operation, but you probably won't be seein' too much of her.. Unless you folks wanna stick around after you catch the bitch." Randall answered.

"I dunno. We've been on the water for so long, it's normal to us now." Ben replied, worried that the big group might get to Kenny's head.

"We'll uh.. Think about it." Kenny added. Ben and Travis rolled their eyes.

"Say, y'all don't have a bigger group I should worry about right? I mean, I'm sure you woulda told me by now." Randall asked, looking around with his crew as they paddled further and further from the boat.

"Nah, we've been on our own for half a year." Travis responded.

"Glad to hear it." Randall said his last few words for about an hour. The rest of the ride was basically silent on the stache groups end, awaiting to get to the island. Once an hour of waiting had passed, the island was in view. "Now, we're getting close to the last place we saw her. Anything else I should know about you boys before I let you go on this mission?"

"We won't screw up. You can count on that." Ken stated, getting up from his seat with the rest of his group.

"Hope so. Otherwise, you won't like how this ends." The boat docked by the island, a collage of forests and lots of dead folk. No walkers, thankfully but aside from the dead bodies of walkers, the island was empty and deathly quiet.

"Um.. What does that mean?" Duck asked, fear evident in his voice.

"Don't find out, kid." Randall replied, smirking devilishly at the kid before averting his gaze to Kenny, who was silently judging the man. "Alright, off you go. We'll be right here waitin' for ya. Take this map, too." After taking the map, the group began walking off the paddle boat, stepping off onto fresh land. Kenny gave a deep sigh before looking around for a place to search first. There was a beach running along the outline of the island, a forest that made up much of the middle, and a third path that led to a pile of walker bodies: A dead end.

"If you were on the run, where would you go to hide?" Kenny asked the group, opening up the map. Everyone scanned the surrounding area.

"The space with the most cover?" Duck asked hesitantly.

"Right, the forest." Ben agreed. Kenny nodded at the idea

"Well, what if that's what she wants you to think?" Travis asked.

"Kid, I really don't have time for your bullshit today. The forest is clearly the way to go." Kenny replied sternly. Travis glared at him.

"Yeah, come on, Travis. There's no way you would hide in the sand against guys with rifles if you were in her situation." Ben added, causing the other teen to sigh.

"..Fine. You're right. Lead the way." With that argument out of the way, the four began walking towards the woods, looking around the greenery for any sign of a human shape. Their footsteps in the mud were the only sounds to be heard for quite a while.

"Say, um.. I have a not so odd question. Now that we're away from that creepy guy, what do you guys think of him?" Ben asked.

"He's an asshole, but he sounds like an honest man. If he can get our boat working, that's good enough for me." Kenny answered matter of factly.

"I'm with dad. Even if he is creepy, we'll still need him." Duck agreed, excited at the thought of better security of Randall's group.

"And what if he's a psychopathic liar who's feeding you bullshit so we can run errands for him? You guys do know that there are bad people out there, right?" Travis asked.

"Well, sure, but we're kind of in a desperate situation right now, kid." The leader replied, not even looking at the teenager.

"Not anymore. According to this map, there's a bridge that leads right back to mainland America. If we can find a working car, we can be out of here in no time! That was your plan, right Kenny?" Travis countered, grabbing the map from Kenny's backpack and shoving the location in his face.

"We ain't leaving our boat, or giving any big groups reason to kill us. We'll be fine." Kenny rejected, continuing his march for a girl he didn't even know existed.

"You know we won't be, look at how close we are to safety! If we run now, no one can find us!" Travis argued, raising his voice a bit.

"Maybe Travis is right? Sure, the boat's decent, but it can't take us up north in its current state."

"That's why we're getting someone to fix it, Ben." Kenny seemed furious that he was being double teamed, and it didn't help that Duck

"Well, did you see their boat? They could use an engine. What if we've just been scammed? We could be in danger." Travis made a point, their boat was shitty despite having a larger capacity. "You know this is stupid, Kenny, you're a smart guy! Just listen to me this once?"

Choices:

A: We keep looking.

B: Let's head to safety.

Relationships:

Travis is really getting sick of your shit. 7/10

Ben appreciates you staying calm. 9/10

Duck likes that you kept your cool with Randall. 10/10

Randall seems like one creepy fucking bastard. 5/10

((Sorry for the long wait on this one, writer's block is back. I already have this season planned out but bleh, head gets clogged. Expect less frequent uploads.))


	96. Fork in the Road

Kenny stopped in his tracks, looked back at the teen and clenched his fist. "Listen here, kid, you are not the leader of this group. I've been leading us for years, we all survived, we're still alive! We're going to find this girl, bring her back to Randall and survive even longer than we ever would have on that island!" He demanded, raised his voice. Travis struggled to react in anything but uncomposed anger as the leader began walking forward again.

"You're such a fucking bastard. You just go on barking orders, you never consider anyone else." Duck and Ben just watched the two argue, their eyes darting between each other.

"Your opinion don't matter to me, kid. Not until you say somethin' smart. Now come on, stay close and keep your eyes peeled. I don't wanna hear a peep unless you see somethin' suspicious." Kenny kept moving, feeling the glare of the teen behind him on the back of his head.

"Kenny, come on-" Ben tried to interject, a half assed attempt to get the two to stop.

"What did I say, Ben?" Kenny interrupted, looking back at the blonde with furrowed brows.

"R-right.." Ben mumbled, looking down at the dirt.

"Don't just take that, Ben! Stick up for yourself." Travis yelled, walking close to Kenny with a less than friendly intention.

"Stop fighting!" Duck yelled, causing the other three survivors to look down at him. "We need to work together, like we used to. We can't keep fighting. Let's just listen to dad for now, and then when we're done, people who want to leave can." Duck suggested. Travis thought about it for a second before sighing.

"..Fine. Whatever. Just don't do anything without thinking." Travis said with a roll of his eyes.

"Speak for yourself." Kenny grumbled, focusing on the pathway on the map. Duck and Ben let out sighs of relief, finally the group had gone silent. The dirt path was decently wet from rain, causing it to become more of a mud.

"I hate when it gets like that." Ben told the kid.

"Yeah. Without mom or Lee, no one is here to defuse the situation." Duck stated sadly.

"I'm glad you did. Sorry for freezing on you, your dad kinda scares the crap outta me." Ben told him with a chuckle.

"I get it. He doesn't scare me, but I get it. I think mom might have been.. Maybe just a little." The boy admitted, thinking back on that memory. It was a sad day for sure, he could barely handle the stress of it all. Now, he was much different from before.

"Hey, you okay?" Ben noticed he was drifting away emotionally, his hands in his jean pockets.

"I'll be okay. It doesn't hurt to think about as much." Duck answered assuringly. Ben gave the eleven year old boy a smile, and he smiled back.

"I'm glad. What do you think about our chances of surviving this?" The teenager asked, talking about the current situation.

"We've been through worse. We'll make it." The kid stated confidently.

"I'm glad at least one of us has kept our optimism. Reminds me of Clem." The dirty blonde said.

"I wish she were here." Duck sighed out, scanning the area for the woman.

"Tch, I get that. We could use more optimism around here." Ben shook his head.

Kenny suddenly stopped at a fork in the road, holding everyone back. "We got a choice here."

"We should split up, we could cover more ground." Travis suggested almost immediately.

"Or we could all die doin' that." Kenny shut him down, folding his arms and pacing as the options ran through his head: left or right? Suddenly, Ben's hand soothed the rough man's shoulder.

"Hey, we'll look out for each other. I'll go with Travis on the right path, and you can go with Duck. We all know how to defend each other, it would be for the best if we wanna catch this girl." Ben backed his friend up, earning a thankful smile from him.

"So, what'll it be?" The black haired teen asked, tapping his foot against the dirt.

Choices:

A: Split up.

B: Stick to one path.

Relationships:

Travis is pretty pissed at you, as usual. 6/10

Duck is confident that you know what you're doing. 10/10

Ben is indifferent. He just wants the infighting to stop. 9/10

Randall still kinda creeps you out. 5/10

((QOTC: Would you rather have 400 Days choices matter to not only season two but also season three, or have an entire episode dedicated to tracking down Bonnie, Mike and Arvo in season three as a bonus episode similar to 400 Days?))


	97. It's you?

Kenny instantly dismissed Travis, continuing to walk. He chose the left path as the safer option seeing as how it looked even emptier than the right path (Which had only bits and pieces of litter, but still). His gut was telling him something was up with the second path. "We're sticking together. If I'm somehow wrong, we'll just head back through that path to look for our mystery woman. Besides, I don't know about you, kid, but splitting up is a pretty stupid idea."

Before Travis could even argue, everyone else was already following Kenny. He rolled his eyes, shoved his hands in his pockets and followed them, staying quiet. At this point, he knew nothing he could say would ever affect the 'delusional' man's point of view.

After a good ten minutes of silence, the group stumbled upon what looked like either the shittiest shed Kenny had ever seen, or the best makeshift cabin he had ever seen. "That's gotta be it. Draw your weapons, stay close and holler if you hear anything. Got that?"

"Got it." Ben replied, nodding as he grabbed his glock from his back pocket. Travis and Duck did the same.

"That goes double for you, Duck. Stay close to me, okay?" The father of the boy looked down at his child, whispering to him.

"Yeah, I'll watch your back." Duck replied, holding his gun up

"Good boy. Let's go." Kenny led the three inside, taking the lead. He was a bit scared, but kept his guard up and made sure everything was quiet. It actually was, save for chirping birds and the wind in the air. Finally, arriving at the door made of tree bark, Kenny opened it very hesitantly. The little cabin was quite cozy, save for the bugs. There was a rather large table with meat, sharp objects and a few canteens on it. Looking around proved to be a terrible idea, as the group finally heard a gun click.

"Shit." Kenny cursed, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

"Yup. Drop your weapons, raise your hands and show yourselves." The mysterious woman demanded. Nobody from the group saw her, and she could barely see the leading man's hat. Still, he tossed his gun on the ground and looked back at the rest of his group. He motioned for Travis and Ben to drop theirs, but not Duck. Duck understood, pocketing his gun. All four of them raised their hands in defense, revealing themselves. Who they saw standing in the corner nearly knocked the wind out of them.

"..Kenny? Is that you?" The woman.. They knew her. She looked even tougher than before.

"Lilly..?" Yup. It was her. The same long haired, smart, strong, independent Lilly was currently holed up and hiding from a boat gang. Ironic.

"Wow.. I've never seen you over here before. You.. Work with Randall?" Lilly asked, lowering her gun.

"Uh.. Not exactly." Kenny replied, lowering his arms.

"Hm.. Okay. Then, you have some explaining to do. Sit down." She pulled out a chair for herself. They were wooden, of decent quality. She must have found them from a boat or house nearby. The group took a seat. "Duck, Ben, Travis, and you. Where are the others?"

"..We left them for a boat." Travis answered, looking down at the floor. Lilly seemed shocked, but her expression soon changed to one of annoyance.

"I shouldn't be surprised. You two were easily the biggest hardasses of the group, you especially." She said, pointing at Travis, then Kenny.

"Lee.. He was a good leader." Kenny ignored her comment, choosing instead to remember his 'fallen' friend.

"Was?" Lilly sounded really concerned.

"We don't really know what happened, but he got bit before we left." Ben muttered.

"Oh.. So.. He's..?"

"Like I said, we don't know. We cut the arm off but.. We never got to know if he lived through it." The blonde teen finished, shrugging sadly.

"Jesus.. What about everyone else?" Lilly asked, her hands over her mouth.

"That guy, Mark, died trying to save himself from a group of walkers. Kat, she... " Kenny was unable to finish that sentence.

"Hey, don't worry about it. There's just one more thing I want to know, and it isn't about our history." Lilly interjected, realizing she was dead.

"Okay.. What've you got?" Kenny questioned, leaning forward.

"Why are you here? How do you know Randall?" Lilly tapped her fingers against the table, her gun still in her hand.

"Lilly.. Look, this isn't-" Kenny was cut off halfway through his sentence, the engine of a truck loudly rearing itself to the front of the makeshift cabin. Everyone looked to the source of the sound, shocked. Lilly stood up and raised her gun again.

"So you are working for that sick fuck! Well, none of you are telling him a thing, I won't go back to that hellhole!" Lilly pulled her glock on Kenny and with shaky hands attempted to pull the trigger. She missed, and whether that was on accident or purpose I'll leave up to interpretation.

The truck outside pulled up in front of the cabin and the sounds of car doors opening and slamming could be heard. Duck looked up at his dad and without saying a word asked if he should stand down, all the while Lilly looked between the open 'window' (really just a hole in the midst of sheet metal and wood) and the group with a murder weapon in her hand. "Just.. Shit, just let me leave and I won't shoot. Don't tell Randall or Monroe or Norma anything and I won't bother you ever again!" She pleaded, walking towards the makeshift window. She was about to leave, Kenny had to act now.

Choices:

A: Incapacitate her.

B: Let Lilly go.

C: Let Lilly go and snitch on her.

Relationships:

Duck is worried, he thinks he should shoot her in the leg so you can get your supplies back but doesn't want another Molly situation. 10/10

Travis is pretty pissed you didn't let him go with Ben. Now he's stuck in a deadly situation with you. 5/10

Ben is scared, but trusts in whatever decision you make. 9/10

Lilly is relying on you to keep your mouth shut. She hasn't seen you forever but never really liked you. It was Lee she was fond of. 5/10

Randall would most likely want you to incapacitate her, but maybe Randall is a dickhead scammer. Maybe Travis is in the right? Only one way to find out. 5/10

((QOTC: So, what do you think of Lilly's "Surprise" appearance? I saw a couple of people predicting this and was pretty happy to see that people would recognize her from vague clues alone.))


	98. Another Surprise

Although Kenny was extremely hesitant, the footsteps were getting closer. His rational side told him to just tell Duck to shoot her in the leg whilst he disarms her, but the other side of his brain was much more merciful. He believed Randall and all, but the woman being Lilly kinda changed his whole perspective. He never really liked her, but he did know and care about her. "Duck, let her go."

"But, what about Randall and the boat?" Duck asked, taking his hands away from the gun as slowly as he was scared.

"We'll move on. The boat.. It's a pipedream. We should move up, like Travis said." Kenny turned at the teen. For once, Travis had a small smile on his lips despite the devastating situation.

"Thank you.. You have no idea what you've saved me from. I won't forget this." Lilly looked sad to go, but was ultimately relieved and eternally grateful.

"Neither will we. Now, go!" She did just as the ex fisherman said, grabbing a bag of supplies before jumping out the window, rushing off far from the cabin. The group picked up their guns and stared at Kenny for advice as he began pacing.

"What are we gonna do? I have a bad feeling Randall won't be happy to see us like this!" Ben whispered, the footsteps getting extremely close to the door.

"We play it cool. We tell 'em she wasn't here, keep 'searching' then abandon ship. Sound good?" Kenny said, walking toward Lilly's shitty cot bed. He was glad that Duck didn't have to sleep in one of these on the island, and maybe soon enough he'd be able to sleep even more comfortably up north. Wellington sounded so promising, Kenny just knew it was their gold at the end of the fiery hellscape rainbow.

"For once, yes, it does." Travis agreed, nodding.

"Good. Everyone pocket your guns and act like you're inspecting the place." Just as Randall came in, the group had begun "searching" the cabin. The only problem was, when they turned around, it wasn't Randall. It was a complete stranger. A bald guy wearing a leather jacket with a gray goatee held a shotgun towards the group. They stopped in their tracks, raising their hands.

"Who the fuck are you?!" Kenny demanded, furrowing his brows. He wouldn't have raised his hands normally and would prefer to show his dominance by revealing his own gun, but this man had a shotgun. One is much more threatening than the other.

"An enemy of Monroe. You with them?" The man with the rough voice asked, staring at them angrily, expecting a yes.

"Eat shit, asshole." Travis lashed out. The group was shocked.

"Excuse me?" The bald, intimidating man questioned, aiming directly at the teen. Travis hesitated before speaking again.

"You heard me!" He yelled, his voice shaking. The man grabbed his hand and pointed the gun directly at his stomach, ready to fire.

"Travis, stop!" Ben yelped, horrified and confused at the same time. Who the hell was this guy exactly? What beef did he have with Randall?

"No, we ain't exactly with him, we're just working for him to get our boat back." Kenny answered, stepping in front of his son to protect him from any harm.

"Please, don't hurt us." Duck gave his best 'young, stupid kid' voice. The man didn't buy it, already seeing two other ones in front of him that were much more scared than Duck. He let go of Travis, stepping back before raising his gun again.

"Follow me. We gotta ask you some questions." The man was about to open the cabin door again, but it was opened by someone outside instead.

"Roman, we got the truck ready, did you find any-" No. Fucking. Way. Two people from their past, two actual living, breathing people in one day.

It was Vernon. He looked exhausted, a six shooter pistol at his waist pocket. He went wide eyed upon seeing the old group. "H-holy shit.." He looked like he was going to have a heart attack. Thank god, inside intel. Someone that could get them out of this.

"Vernon? It's been a while.. Is that really you?" Ben questioned. Vernon nodded. Roman looked back and forth, shaking his head.

"It doesn't matter if you know them. They are working with Randall." Roman stressed, clearly tired of Vernon's attitude.

"You? Why?" Vernon asked, his voice raspier than before.

"That's what we're trying to explain! We were desperate, our boat stopped working and we needed the help. We tried to track down the person they wanted us to track down, but we ran into you assholes instead. That's what happened. Vernon, can you get us outta here?" Kenny explained, looking past Roman towards Vernon with a somewhat desperate gleam in his eyes.

"Yeah. I can. But I'd still like to ask you some questions. Do you mind coming with me? I promise this kind of behavior will not happen again." Vernon assured. He sounded genuine, but Kenny was unsure. How could they trust this guy after so long? Everyone changes, but it looks like Vernon changed for the better.

"How do you want me to handle them, like they're my best fucking friends?! Jesus, Vernon, this is how the world works now!" Roman yelled, rubbing his temples aggravatedly.

"I thought that at one point too! I was wrong. We lost Brie and Shel because of that." Vernon defended, walking closer to the group.

"What about Boyd and Joyce? They're fuckin' dead because of _your_ weakness!" Looks like that struck a nerve. Kenny's group just stared at each other, not understanding a word they were saying. Well, they remembered Brie as that girl who helped them get Omid's medicine and the boat's gas/battery, but other than that? They didn't really know those people.

"Whatever. These are good people and I know it. Please, come with me guys. We just need a bit of info, then you're free to go." The oldest man in the room said with a nod, opening the door for them.

"I dunno.. Do we have a choice?" Kenny asked skeptically, scanning the men's faces.

"Not really, and I'm sorry for that. But we really need information on Randall. Roman has to keep his gun on you too, but I'm sure you understand that part." Vernon waited for the group to answer. Roman was getting real tired of how long it was taking for them to start moving. Finally, Kenny became the group's line leader and began walking outside.

"..Yeah." The mustachioed man muttered as he went past the two. His gun was taken from him by Vernon.

"I guess." Travis stated stubbornly. Luckily, his gun was tucked away so deep that the two didn't realize he was carrying one.

"Um.. Sure." Ben mumbled, walking past with his hands raised. His gun wasn't hidden, so Roman slickly took it out of his back pocket. Duck noticed this and quickly adjusted his so it was hidden.

"Okay.." Duck nodded slowly, heading past them with little difficulty.

Outside was a large van. Someone was in the driver's seat, a black male with a white beard and an afro. You know him as Clive. Vernon opened the back doors and allowed them to climb inside. "Go on, sit down. Don't worry, Roman will stay in the front seat." Vernon ordered, giving Roman a small glare. Roman rolled his eyes as he climbed into the passenger seat.

"Where the hell are you takin' us?" Kenny questioned, extremely hesitant to get into a potential kidnappers van.

"Just our new headquarters. It's close to the bridge that links to the coast. If you really are with Randall, you probably have seen it."

"Yeah, we have." Travis confirmed with a nod.

"Anyways, just hurry up and get in. It'll make things easier for both of us." Vernon held the doors open, ready for them to get in. Kenny was still unsure, really not wanting to die tonight. Maybe he'd die if he escaped, maybe not? He had to make a decision here and now.

Choices:

A: Resist and attempt escape.

B: Comply.

Relationships:

Travis is happy to see your merciful side for once. 6/10

Duck is also happy to see you acting nice. Now he just wants to get this over with, maybe even kill these guys if he has to. 10/10

Ben is happy you spared Lilly, at least she doesn't have to be a part of this. 9/10

Randall is still waiting on you. What's going on with him and Vernon? 5/10

Vernon is someone you haven't seen in years. He used to be fine, but has he gotten better or worse? 6/10

Roman seems like a total asshole. You already hate him. 2/10

You barely know Clive. 5/10

((QOTC: TWO CAMEOS IN ONE EPISODE. Crazy huh? I have this all planned out and I'm still shocked. What do you think? Is Vernon a bullshitter or does he seem cool to you? What do you think of Roman's adaption to the new world? Is it realistic of his character? Tell me in the reviews.))


	99. A Messy Plan

((Guess who's bringing back daily uploads. It's me haha.

Enjoy, and get ready for episode one hundred!))

Kenny would have lashed out and fought if he had more men, if his son weren't here, if he wasn't being threatened by a crazy bald asshole. He looked back at the kids and nodded. "Get in, boys." They climbed inside, with Duck sitting next to his father and Ben and Travis sitting across from them.

"Thanks. And I'm sorry." Vernon replied, slamming the door. He sounded hesitant, sad even. But Kenny called bullshit.

"Sure you are. You keep telling yourself that." The father muttered with a growl. "Alright, we gotta think of a plan. Obviously we can't let em take us to some prison, so we gotta stop the truck or something."

"How do you intend on doing that? If you hadn't noticed, we're not exactly close to the driver's seat." Travis skeptically whispered. Kenny glared.

"He didn't handcuff us." Ben interrupted before a fight could break out. The last thing they needed was to be at each other's throats.

"Yeah! We can try and shoot them through the walls, right?" Duck asked.

"Nah, these walls are too dense for that.. Might be able to shoot out the window here to unlock the doors, though it would make a helluva lot of noise." Kenny got up just as the passenger seat door was slammed shut to look through the window. He sat back down quickly.

"We should just go along until they bring us to their base. It can't be that far if they really want intel on us, and besides that, even if it is far, that means we don't have to worry about paying up Randall." Ben suggested, earning a smile from Kenny.

"You know what? That ain't a bad idea. It's not good, but at least we can pull our guns on them as soon as they open that door." The leader agreed.

"Yeah!" Duck cheered.

"Alright, so here's our plan: We sit tight, wait until the van takes a stop, and then as soon as they let us out we start shooting. All of us. No hesitation, got it?" They nodded. "Then, we shoot Vernon and his friend, take a look at their base and see what we can scavenge." Kenny explained.

"We could take the van too, we don't have any vehicles so it would be best to take it." Travis said.

"Good idea. Alright, get comfy. I don't know how long this trip'll be. Don't get too comfy though. The second the van stops, pull out your guns." Kenny went to reach for his in his back pocket, only to find nothing. "What the fuck? Where's my gun?" The van started driving down the road as Kenny scrambled to find his weapon of choice.

"Mines gone, too! What the hell?" Ben patted his back, front and side pockets. Nothing.

"They took your guns. I still have mine, since I kept it hidden." Travis replied, only now remembering seeing Roman take Kenny's pistol.

"Yeah, same." Duck added, showing off his.

"Hand it over, Travis you can keep yours. You two just stick behind the walls and stay hidden when we start shootin', alright?" Kenny received Duck's gun, getting a nod from his son. "'Atta boy."

It took around twenty minutes for them to finally arrive. The group had a lot to think about, Vernon, Lilly, Randall. It all mixed together in Kenny's head. It didn't sit right with him that he had to kill a man who had helped them so much in the past. Hell, he doesn't even think they'd be alive if it weren't for Vernon and Brie. It was at times like these that he wishes Lee was still leader, that he was here. That he was alive.

"You okay? I think we're stopping." Ben questioned, sweat slowly trailing down his forehead from nervousness of the situation. Kenny nodded, then began thinking harder about this plan of his. What if they just get killed by Roman's clearly superior shotgun? What if nothing bad really will happen if they just go along with Vernon's questionnaire? What if this is something that changes his group forever?

A: Double down on the plan.

B: Cancel the plan and go along with Vernon.

Relationships:

Duck is nervous, but happy you didn't put up a fight against Vernon. 10/10

Ben feels a twinge of guilt about this plan. Killing Vernon? He was a member of the group even if it was only for a short while. 9/10

Travis is happy you didn't be a pain in the ass and get them all shot. He's ready for this plan. 8/10

Vernon is glad you went along with him so easily. 7/10

Roman is certainly in a hurry to get this over with. You hate him. 2/10

Randall is still waiting on you, wondering where you went. 5/10

You barely know Clive. 5/10

((QOTC: Are you excited for daily (or mostly daily at least) uploads coming back? I sure am ahaha. Writer's block be damned.))


	100. Prelude to QNA

"No, Ben. No I'm not." Kenny answered the teenager's question, shaking his head with a sigh. He knew this was a bad idea. The car doors opened up front.

"What's wrong?" Ben followed up as Kenny put his gun back.

"This plan is dumb. We need to- we need to go along, just for now." Travis and Duck looked up at the man, one understanding and the other.. Well..

"Are you serious?!" Travis questioned, clearly frustrated at the sudden flip-flop.

"Yes! Put your gun away, Travis, and we might actually live." Kenny raised his voice, footsteps becoming louder and drawing nearer.

"Yeah, maybe this is the smarter choice.." Duck muttered. Travis rolled his eyes and put his gun away.

"If this backfires, I swear to god-" The van doors opened, the dusk sky greeting them with a tint of orange, as well as the faces of Clive, Vernon and Roman.

"If what backfires?" Roman growled, aiming his shotgun at Travis. He kept his mouth shut.

"Hey, calm down. Just follow us, you answer our questions and you're free to go, okay?" Vernon kept a gun in his pocket, choosing not to threaten them.

"Alright.. Let's just take this easy." Kenny said in the calmest voice he could muster. Duck was surprised his father could play it this cool, especially under such pressure.

"I agree. C'mon." The group jumped out of the van, Clive and Roman pointing their large guns at them the whole time. Clive wielded a rifle, aiming directly at Kenny's back. He noticed a bulge in his back pocket and quickly took his pistol.

"Nope, you ain't pulling any funny business. None of you." The oldest, dark man sternly stated, showing his other group members his gun. Kenny rolled his eyes mentally, putting on another innocent act.

"I'm sorry, I should have told you we were armed." He replied. Roman and Clive shook their heads.

"How many more of you are armed?" Roman questioned, his finger on the trigger as he pointed at the group. Three out of four of them raised their arms in defense.

"J-just me.." Travis meekly replied, handing him Clive his gun hesitantly.

"Good. Go." Clive pointed towards the line leader, Vernon. Their hideout wasn't much, a shitty looking diner. The sign was broken, dangling from the wall. The door was rusty as hell, the windows were only semi boarded up and there were walker bodies everywhere. Dead walkers, granted, but still showed increased walker activity compared to other locations.

"Just follow us inside, we'll all sit at different tables." The inside wasn't much better. The tables and floor was dirty with dried blood and grime, every table was dusty as hell, the counters previously used for bars and to order were now riddled with medical supplies and various melee weapons. This was clearly a downgrade from what Vernon's group used to be.

"Kenny, how are we going to play this?" Ben asked the leader, tapping his arm with his skinny elbow. The group was close together but just far enough away from their captors so that the three armed men couldn't hear their whispering. There were really two options that ran through Kenny's head: The truth, or lie like there's no tomorrow. Because chances are, there won't be depending on what they go with.

Choices:

A: Tell the truth

B: Lie

C: Don't say anything

Relationships:

Duck is scared, he's looking towards you for guidance. He didn't want to do the shootout plan anyways so he's happy you went against it. 10/10

Ben is surprised at your consistent pacifist nature so far. 9/10

Travis is unsure of changing up the plan. He wants to lie, but realizes that also might kill them. 8/10

Vernon has been decent so far. Maybe you should just keep being nice back? 7/10

Roman is kinda surprised at how easy going you've been so far. 4/10

Clive seems rough, like Roman but calmer. Still, he appreciates your cooperation. 6/10

((QOTC: For the one hundredth chapter, I thought we could do something special. A QNA! That's right, ask me anything and I'll answer in the next chapter. This season is coming close to its end, so get ready for season two, something I'm sure you're all very excited for!))


	101. Questions With Unclear Answers

Kenny leaned in closer to the group and whispered to them, "Tell the truth." They nodded in understanding before Vernon halted the group.

"Kenny, I'll be interrogating you. Roman can handle Ben and Travis. Clive will talk to Duck." Vernon informed. Reluctantly, Ben and Travis walked up to a clearly upset Roman, wielding a giant shotgun.

"Alright. Just don't hurt anyone." Kenny cautiously replied, watching his son with concern written all over his face. Clive seemed gentle enough, his gun still in his pocket instead of out and about like Roman's.

"If you tell the truth, we won't have to." Roman muttered, rudely shoving Ben before pulling a chair out for himself. Kenny continued to watch his son like a hawk.

"Hey, don't worry. Clive is a good man. He'll be fine. Now, sit with me and we can get this over with. It's getting late and I'd rather have this done soon." The older man said, sitting down across from Kenny.

"You and me both. You said you can get us back to the mainland and away from Randall?" Kenny asked, joining him at the table, anxiously tapping his foot.

"Sure can. Just answer me truthfully." Vernon answered. Kenny sighed, closing his eyes to collect himself. They opened shortly after.

"Alright. First question?"

"How did you meet Randall? Why did you join up with him?" Vernon replied, taking a sip from a cantine as he prepared himself to listen.

"We were on our way to Florida after hearing some rumors about a place up north. On our way, our boat stopped in the middle of the ocean, damn battery was all outta juice. Randall found us in this fuckin' paddle boat and let us aboard." Kenny explained, leaning back in his seat uncomfortably. The seat was sticky with dirt and spilled alcohol.

"You just went on without questioning him?" He questioned, capping the beverage.

"Of course I questioned him, but we were desperate. I'm sure you know what that feels like, considering your situation." Kenny gave Vernon a half glare. He gripped his fist and sighed.

"..Continue."

"He offered us a deal: In exchange for fixing our boat, we had to find a woman on this island. If we brought her back alive, we'd be free to join his group or leave." Kenny did as Vernon told him.

"Interesting. How long ago?"

"I dunno, an hour ago? Maybe two at this point."

"Hm. I'm sure he's in no rush to look for ya when he's got plenty of goons to do that for him." The balding leader muttered, taking out a map and looking over it. Kenny couldn't see what was on it.

"Hopefully not." Kenny sighed, looking up at Vernon. "Next." Vernon cleared his throat, putting the map on the table before interlocking his hands.

"Right," He cleared his throat, "Who was the woman Randall wanted?"

"Girl named Lilly." Kenny replied hastily.

"Where is she now?" Vernon followed up.

"Dunno, she hauled ass after we let her go."

"Let her go? Why would you do that?" Vernon asked with a skeptical look.

"It's complicated." Kenny answered, getting a raised brow from the man opposite of him.

"Just tell me. It'll make things easier for both of us." He demanded with a sigh, folding his arms. The moon was starting to set in, and the sky was turning purple outside.

"Fine. She was in our old group, when Lee was still leader. She was leader for a long while until her dad died of a heart attack in a meat locker. Fucked night. She left with some of our supplies the next morning." Kenny told the story, a weird feeling developing in his chest. A twinge of pain from long forgotten memories.

"Holy shit.. You let someone who robbed you just get away?" Vernon asked, blinking.

"We didn't know, we were all asleep."

"No, I mean recently." Kenny paused and thought about his reasons why. Then, it dawned on him.

"..I guess. I never really liked her but something made me think twice. She was a part of our group, without her my son wouldn't be here right now, I'm sure." He answered confidently.

"I see.. Roman would never let me do that now." Vernon said with a sigh, looking at the decrepit floor before glancing back up. "Just a few more questions and we'll send you out. Next, and this one is a bit more personal.. Do you know what happened to Lee, Clem and the others? Last I heard Clementine was missing and Lee had his arm cut off."

"Oh uh.. No. I don't. I didn't know Lee survived the arm getting chopped. I still can't believe he of all people got chomped." The leader of the boat gang was shocked to hear this, he had no idea what happened to Lee or Clem. Still, something told him they didn't make it as far as his group did.

"Me neither. I would have expected Omid or Ben. But I know you guys already took the boat." Vernon tried to make a joke, but neither laughed.

"Yeah. Whatever happened to your group?" Kenny prodded. Vernon's face softened.

"...It's not a fun story." He said with a shake of his head.

"You don't gotta tell me. The sooner we get this over with, the better."

"..Right. Last question." The captor passed the worn out map toward Kenny, looking up at him whilst trying to regain his composure. "Where is Monroe located?"

"Actually, that's the one question I don't know the answer to. Randall never brought us there."

"Kenny.. Please." Vernon placed his hand in his face, dread that Kenny would be lying setting in.

"What, you don't believe me? I've been honest this whole time!" Kenny defended. This caught the attention of the others.

"What's going on? Is yours being difficult too?" Roman entered the frame, Travis' arm in one hand and his shotgun in the other.

"I'm telling the truth!" Kenny raised his voice. Vernon thought it over more. Ben got up from his seat, same with Duck and Clive.

"Let me go, you sonuva bitch!" Travis squealed, trying to pull himself off of the rough man.

"Easy kid, I don't want to hurt you." Roman replied, pushing the barrel of the gun against his stomach. Travis halted immediately.

"Take it easy, Roman, we can handle this. Kenny, is it? Just tell us where Monroe is." Clive questioned, his hand over his glock in his pocket.

"I would if I could, trust me, but I've never been!" Kenny yelled, holding his hands up as he stood up from his chair.

"Hard to trust complete strangers, right Vernon?" Roman asked the rhetorical question with such spite that you couldn't even cut through it.

"He isn't a stranger! Maybe he is telling the truth!" Vernon was so confused that he didn't know what to believe. Everything was happening too fast.

"Bull. Shit. I'm sick of this." Roman kicked Travis' kneecap, sending him on his knees whilst groaning. He pushed the shotgun into the teens cheek, ready to pull the trigger. "Tell us."

"This is getting out of hand!" Clive yelled amongst the chaos.

"N-no! I know where it is! Randall did tell us!" Ben blurted out, running up to the group. All eyes were on him aside from Roman and Travis'.

"Where on the map, kid?" Clive slowly asked.

"Right here, b-but further west!" Ben pointed to the left of the bridge, sounding nervous as hell and dead serious at the same time. Roman eased up on Travis, but didn't let go. "I-it's northwest from the bridge, just keep going until you find it! That's what he told us."

"There. That's all we needed. We'll mark it, send you off and pay him a visit." Vernon stated, breathing a sigh or relief. Kenny's group and Clive seemed relaxed too.

"No. You know the rules, Vernon." Roman suddenly said, roughening his grip on Travis back up.

"Roman, please, this is different." Vernon shook his head, marking the map and getting up from his seat.

"No it isn't. We can't have outsiders knowing our location." Roman raised his voice a bit, glaring at Vernon whilst holding onto a squirming Travis.

"Why the fuck did you bring us here in the first place then!?" Kenny questioned aggressively. 

"Because, I couldn't attract walkers by just shootin' you out there. We'll let the guard dogs have you. At least then you can have a bigger use than just pawns in a game of war nobody wants to play." Roman mercilessly stated. Kenny's face lit up in anger.

"You motherfucker!" Travis screamed out, trying his hardest to escape Roman's grasp.

"Come on, man.. They did help us. For once, maybe we should let them go." Clive suggested, showing mercy for once. Roman turned to face him.

"They're double agents, can't you see? Don't lighten up on me too, Clive."

"Please, you have to let us go!" Duck pleaded, clasping his hands together. He always tried to act like the defenseless kid of the group, and oftentimes that worked to their advantage. Unfortunately, there are some sick people in this world who don't care who you are, not even about your age.

"Y-you psycho fuckers!" Travis squealed, making things worse. Roman faced the teen again.

"Travis, calm down!" Ben begged, knowing his life could be cut any second if he continued this.

"CALM DOWN? ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Travis almost laughed at that sentence, but he was too busy tearing up to do so. He was really going to die. 

"Enough, squirming! You're fucking dead, kid. I'm sorry, this is just how the world works now. No one wants this." Roman was just about to pull the trigger, when Vernon stopped him.

"Enough!" He yelled out, charging forward just as Travis thought he was about to be shot. Vernon grabbed hold of Roman's gun, and the two began to fight tug of war style over it. Clive took out his gun and pointed at the two, unsure of what to make of the situation. Unfortunately, it didn't play in Vernon's favor.

"You always were.. Fucking weak.. I NEVER wanted to do this, b-but.. You give me no choice!" BOOM. The loud explosion of a shotgun shell exiting the gun rang throughout the forest. Ben scurried to Travis' side, helping him up as Vernon fell to the ground, his face a bloody, exposed mess. His brain and skull were merged, his eyes popped out onto the ground and blood continued to seep into the cold floor below. Clive took a shot, but it only grazed the side of Roman's cheek. All this noise would surely draw the dead forward.

"You treacherous shit! Is everyone a traitor?!" With a cock of his gun and another loud shot, Clive was shot in the stomach, causing his intestines to spill from his stomach. He fell to the floor, dead within seconds. Roman cocked his gun once again, turning back around to see Ben helping up Travis. Kenny had no idea who he'd shoot, but he had to make a choice. He was the only one who could save them, and even then only one of them. Duck had grabbed Clive's gun, but it was obvious he wouldn't be able to stop the shells from killing them.

Choices:

A: Save Ben

B: Save Travis

C: Jump in front of them

D: Do nothing

Relationships:

Duck agreed with your choice of truth. He's scared beyond all belief right now. 10/10

Travis is terrified for his life. 8/10

Ben hasn't been this scared since the walkers at the train. He is begging to be saved. 10/10

Roman has finally lost it. 1/10

Vernon went out redeeming himself. 7/10

Clive and you didn't really get to know each other. 6/10

((QNA Time!

From: ZoomerXoomer

"Also, a question for the Q&A, are any characters in Kenny's group confirmed to die right now?"

Answer: Well, you just met them. Clive and Vernon. Though, I originally did plan for Duck to die somewhere in this short episode. I ended up scrapping it since I have better ideas for him. Also I know nobody asked this, but Joyce too. She didn't die in the bandit attack, she was killed like four months after they left their original outpost. This new diner is a different one.

From: Guest

"What is your favorite cast out of all of TWD games?"

Answer: Cast like group or voice cast? If the group, I'm torn between the Boarding School from season four and the Mansion group from season one. Season one's characters are super strong, and every character in the mansion group not only has at least two subplots, but are also just super interesting characters. The Boarding School has Louis. Need I say more?

Well, yeah, I should. They're just charming! They do feel like a real family. But yeah, I absolutely love Louis.

If you mean voice cast, that would go to season two's. Carver's acting is incredible, Rebecca's screams of pain, different emotions and various tones make her so much more likeable/hateable. Luke's voice fits him so well it hurts and every other character oozes personality thanks to their vocal performances. Don't even get me started on Kenny and Jane's realistic ass acting. Oh yeah, and Clem's voice has always been perfect.

From: Welcome-to-the-404

"Alright, I guess my question is an official call on if Lee or Clementine will be our main playable character when we return to the main series?"

Firstly, thanks for being awesome as usual, 404.

To answer your question, you will get to play as both. I'll leave it at that since it really is as simple as that, but I am planning on Clem being far more playable since at the end of the day this is her story.

From: Guest

"Do you have any post Season 4 ideas for the story?

Will there be any cut season 2 content in this story? (Like the shoot Mike option. If you don't know what I'm talking about, watch In Cold Blood's Youtube Videos.)

Can Clementine die in any of the upcoming seasons?"

I've watched In Cold Blood for a while, great youtuber, I'm all about cut content.

As for your questions, I have absolutely no idea what I'll do after season four. Maybe I'll continue, but I guess that's up to you guys. Will there be cut content? Hell yeah. I've already incorporated some season one cut content such as Lee's dream sequences, Mr. Parker's alternate death (which you guys didn't get to see), the ability to actually decline the St. John's (Which you also didn't see) etc. Shooting Mike, the cut storyline of Eddie and the rest of the 400 Days cast and much more will be included. I think season two is too short and I'd like to make it longer.

Can Clementine die? Yes. She could have died this season if you remember the bad ending alt choice in chapter 92. She can die later on too, though I won't tell when she can.

From: CitrusBird386

"How does it feel to have the most reviews in the fandom?"

Like a million bucks. No joke, you guys are great and very inspirational. I'd like to recommend another Walking Dead Story I've been reading lately titled With You by StopBreakingMyHeartTelltale.  s/13402781/1/with-you

Very cute Clouis story! They deserve the extra reviews.

From: Mentalhead123

"In the next season do you plan to include characters from Seasons 3 and 4 from the games?"

Nah, not yet. Definitely 400 Days characters though.

From: Sokol848

"If you could add one comic character to permanently (3 or more episodes) be in the video game, who would it be, and in what season."

Tough question. I can tell you right now that I'm satisfied with Jesus and Michonne, but I'd love to see more of Hershel's family (Specifically Maggie) or maybe even Rick in like a what if story? Would be interesting to see Clem and Rick clash or team up.

From: thedarkpokemaster

"As for QNA, which villain within the whole of the walking dead was the most underused? And what is your favorite villain?"

My favorite villain is surprisingly Norma from Michonne tied with Carver. I love what Norma could have been if they didn't just twist her into Joan fused with Lilly. Carver is terrifying, has a huge presence throughout the first three episodes (And even episode four/five if you think about it), is amazingly acted, and isn't just a survivalist of the fittest guy. I mean, he is, but he also has a unique plot to stop him from being boring. *Cough Lilly, cough Joan.*

Most underused is Nate. Like most 400 Days characters, he was cast aside for seemingly no reason. People love him and he has potential to be unique so I have no idea why this happened.

From: darkfire12200

"I have three questions:

1\. If possible, could this story if we did our choices right tie into the comics? For example, depending on our choices could we find Alexandria and meet Rick's group or do you plan to keep this story tied directly to the games?

2\. How big exactly was the time-jump between Season 1 and Kenny's story? It says 'years' in the chapters but considering Season 2 takes place 2 and a half years after Season 1 and I assume Kenny will be in Season 2, I think it would only be about a year since then.

3\. Will we make choices as Clementine or Lee in Season 2? Will you leave the reviewers to vote who they want to see make the choices or will you make the decision yourself.

Also, I've been loving this story since day 1. Glad to see it getting recognition as you've done a great job."

Firstly, thank you, I remember you actually ahaha. As for your first question, nooope. I just don't really like the comics as much as the games when it comes to story or characters outside of like four characters. I like Michonne, Glen, Maggie, Jesus and Abraham and find everyone else to be meh.

It's twelve months, years was an exaggeration.

Already answered this, so I can tell this is a popular question haha.

From: Bad

"who the 2 people who Can't avoid death oh u Said anything we Can ask"

Already answered, Clive and Roman. Bit of a copout, but don't worry, someone in Lee's group is guaranteed to die. (Evil laughter ensues)

From: Reader 67

"My questions for the Q&A are the following:

How do you prepare before writing a chapter? Do you consult the wiki to research first, or do you watch let's plays, or play the game yourself?

If we were to go off the rails of the canon journey, would the story still continue as usual, or would it mean the story would end?

Would you prefer we stay close to canon?

Who are your favorite characters in the story to write besides the obvious Lee and Clem?"

When I'm about to write an episode, I replay the season that episode takes place in, watch clips of the episode for extra context and consult the wiki. I don't usually watch let's players since for some reason they piss me off if their names aren't Uberhaxornova or SSOHPKC.

Well, I mean, look at what's happening now. Of course I'd continue, the only point of confusion so far is post season four. I know there's stuff I can do, so just let me know when we get to that point if you guys really want to see more past that.

Short answer, kinda. Longer answer, yes because it's easier, no because it's more interesting. So kinda.

Okay, this is an interesting one. Definitely the hardest one to answer.

I love writing for Chuck and Molly, they're adorable and I gotta say make for great bromance. Feel free to ship them but it ain't happening here. I also loved writing for Lilly because she's so goddamn dynamic. She's got so much potential that season four's characterization of her makes me sick.

Also love Kenny though he's rather easy to write for. Larry was really fun too!

Overall, I'd go with Chuck for sure. But just wait for season two when I get to write for Luke and Nick. My boys will finally get what they deserve: A decent ending. Well, maybe not Luke since.. Wait, I'm rambling.

Thanks for reading!))


	102. Meeting Sarita

((Firstly, sorry for the delay, reviews weren't coming in as you all know. Secondly, I'd like to apologize for not answering some questions. I'll answer them now. This is the final chapter of Kenny's story before we get into the meat and potatoes of season two! Get hyped for tomorrow. As such, this chapter will also include alternate choices for this short fill in episode. Without further ado, here are the rest of your questions answered:

From: DTLTD

"About the QNA, I do have a few things I'd like to ask.

Are we going to meet Sarita with Kenny in the story, or we only going to have the chance to meet her in the ski lodge?

Will we ever see Brie and Stephanie again?

Who will we control in the next season, Clem or Lee, or maybe both in turns?

How does it feel to have more then 2k reviews, making you a record holder in this fanfiction page?

We've got a guest character from another franchise showing up in the story in GTA's Eddie. Will there be more?

If so, can we get a vote to add a character from another franchise, provided they're not too broken or out of place? (Like Master Chief, Garrus, and Naruto are out, but a character from another zombie themed story like Bill from L4D, Ellie from TLoU, or Dr. Neville from I am Legend, could be nominated?)

And speaking of other zombie franchises, what are your favorite zombie games beside Telltale's The Walking Dead?

How and where is Russell, Nate, Brie, and Stephanie? Will we ever see them again?

I also was about to ask if we could finally rest easy because you no longer out to cut down on our numbers?"

I love how many you asked haha! So, first one about Sarita, she meets Kenny in this chapter! Not too big of a spoiler, so I might as well tell you that we at least get to meet her. Secondly, Brie and Steph will not be returning again. Those two do live until season four though, so don't worry, they're safe and thriving! Third question I've already answered, both in different situations similar to Lee and Mark and Carley, but much more frequent. Plus, I'm gonna try and restrict it to just those two.

Fourth question, it feels amazing. I used to have a decent following in the Total Drama community but my writing was usually overlooked by most of the fandom. I was a huge fan of TWD ever since I watched PewDiePie play it all the way back in 2013, and I've played the game at least one hundred times. Season 2 I've played around fifty and season three/four is most likely around six times since I didn't get them until way later due to issues in money. I realized one day that I was unsatisfied with TWD's inconsistent choice consequences and wanted to try to write a story about changing that with viewer voting. It took a while to plan out, but now both season one is finished and season two is almost all the way planned out. I've met great people and fans on this journey and hope you all stick around to the end.

Fifth question, Eddie wasn't exactly like Eddie Low from GTA. He was a weird guy, but he never tried to hurt Kenny's group. I would love having other characters in this story from different franchises as background characters, off screen characters or even villains/side characters! Feel free to suggest some.

Sixth question, YES! As long as I know the character I'm super down! I LOOOOOVE Left For Dead and the original Last of Us (Sequels fine but never played it), so like I said previously, if you have any suggestions please do start suggesting in reviews or PM's!

Seventh question, I love the Last of Us, Left for Dead (ESPECIALLY 2) and Resident Evil. My favorite games in general are Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, GTA IV, The Walking Dead, Mario Galaxy, Team Fortress Two, The Last of Us, The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild and Dragon Ball Fighterz in case anyone was wondering!

Eighth question, and this is from another review, Russel is currently with Nate. We will see him again, because I love both of them to death, but not for a while. They're currently coming back from Statesboro after.. Well, you'll find out.

Ninth and final question: In Lee's words, HAHA nope!

From: Mircross

"Who were those unavoidably dead characters? I guess one would be Katjaa, but I can't place the 2nd one."

Nobody. Scrapped the idea entirely, but they would have been Ben and Travis. Then the idea of bringing them with Kenny popped into my mind. They are still scared teens after all. They loved Lee's leadership, but boat beats run down mansion in a walker infested area.

From: Who

"How far do you want to stay to the cannon storyline."

I think I answered this already, but I want to stay with it while also changing a LOT. Season two is the season where shit changes heavily so get ready for that. I have a lot of plans for episode three and four in specific.

And that's it! I'll see you again at the end of the chapter.

One last important message: I've given you enough warnings. I'm sick of duplicate reviews. I know which accounts are yours and will no longer count your vote ever. Apologies to the rest of you, but user Lol is not taking anything I've previously said seriously. His accounts are Sunny D, Lol, Who, Victor, Albert, a bunch of random guest accounts, "Mircoss" (Trying to imitate another user is childish beyond belief), and Deez Nuts. If I'm wrong about any of these, someone tell me in private message only. Anyways, enjoy!))

He had no time to think, Roman had already pulled the trigger. Luckily, Kenny managed to grab Ben's lanky arm, pulling him down on top of himself. Travis was shot directly in the gut. Duck's bullet finally collided with Roman's skull and killed him. "No, no, no, no!" Ben yelped out, crawling toward Travis as he got on his knees and began choking. Falling on his face, Travis was unable to respond as Ben came to his side. "Please, don't die on me, Travis! N-not like this! Please!" He shrieked, holding his best friend's hand as tightly as possible. Kenny and Duck knew there was nothing they could do. They stood by Ben's side.

"B-Ben.." Was the only thing Travis was able to say. He gave him a playful smack on his cheek, tears falling down their eyes in unison.

"..I'll live on for you. I'll get stronger, I-I will!" Ben told him with the most confidence he had ever shown before. Travis smiled and nodded before suddenly groaning in pain, his eyes rolling back and his head going limp. The room was silent, but it wouldn't be for long.

"That shot'll draw walkers. Let's get ready to either fight or leave." Kenny announced, grabbing his gun back from Roman's corpse.

"W-we can fight.. I doubt there are that many, dad. Let's just leave them alone." Duck said to his father. Ben couldn't stop crying at Travis' side. Kenny nodded and began leaving. At the door, he peaked back and uttered a few words to the sobbing teenager.

"Stay safe, kid. Take a gun from that sick bastard just in case anything happens, alright?"

"S-sure.. Just leave us alone." Ben mumbled. Kenny took Duck's hand and proceeded out the door, ready to search the area for danger. They couldn't stay here for long, maybe a week or two. Randall would probably try looking for them eventually and this place didn't have much anyways. Wellington was next on their roadmap.

Upon coming back, Kenny and Duck noticed Ben digging a hole using a little trowel. They didn't have many tools, not even a shovel. They suspected he was burying Travis, and their suspicions were proven correct when they noticed his body lying on it's back. It was late at night, Ben knew the risks.

"Hey, kid." Kenny greeted solemnly.

"Hey.. You don't mind me doing this, r-right?" Ben asked, concerned he was breaking some dumb rule.

"Nah, nah.. We brought home some gas we were able to siphon but found only three walkers. Randall really cleared this place out." Kenny answered, putting down his bag. They still had a lot of food and water from the resort.

"And here, I found this! I had a feeling we would be burying him soon, so.." Duck offered a flower to the teen. It wasn't much, barely clinging onto life, but it was still a nice gesture.

"Oh, uh.. Thanks." Ben accepted, pocketing the flower gently as it didn't get in the way of digging.

"You're welcome!" Duck cheered. Always trying to keep everyone happy. He managed to make both his father and Ben crack a small smile.

"Need some help?" Kenny asked, kneeling down next to Ben. He was surprised, but happy. Seems Kenny had changed somehow..

"Y-yeah.. Thank you." They proceeded to dig, Duck with his hands, Ben with the trowel and Kenny with an empty water bottle that used to belong to Travis. It was quite calming. Duck talked about how nice Travis was, Ben decided to open up a bit and tell them stories of their high school days and even Kenny shared some of his younger years experiences. At the end of the night, they were feeling much better. Travis was buried and above his tomb made up of twig branches was a poppy flower, barely alive but clinging onto hope it would survive for a good while.

The next morning was the day they were ready to go. Leave with gas, the car and peace of mind. As everyone gathered their stuff inside, a noise was heard outside. Thankfully not the sound of a gun cocking or a vehicle pulling up, but the sound of footsteps against grass. Sneaky footsteps. "Get down, guns ready and don't reveal yourselves until I say so." Kenny whispered, taking cover with the boys behind the counter. They complied, revealing their guns.

The door opened shortly afterward, a brown skinned, black haired woman wearing a hoodie and jeans and wielding a pocket knife snuck inside. Relieved to see nobody there, she began searching for supplies. Luckily, Kenny and company had already tossed Vernon, Roman and Clive outside in the back and burned them earlier in the morning. 'Shit, maybe the smoke drew whoever this is..' Kenny thought to himself, still not able to see the stranger. He nodded at the boys before standing up and drawing his gun at her. She gasped, raising her hands. Duck and Ben also stood up, but they noticed something extra: Kenny was wide eyed and blushing. The hell?

"I don't want any trouble! I'm just a scavenger. I'm alone."

"O-oh.. Hm. Check her for weapons anyways, or any sort of uh, communications."

"On it." Duck hopped over the counter, getting close to the woman. He began inspecting her pockets from jacket to jeans. Nothing bulged out except for a candy bar and a water bottle. "She's clean!" He backed away, a smile on his face. Duck was always like this with friendly faces.

"See? Nothing. I'm simply looking for supplies." The woman had a thick indian accent, a mole on her nose and looked just as tired as Kenny.

"I see.. Well, feel free to look, we're moving out soon." Kenny muttered, hoisting his bag over his shoulder. Everyone lowered their weapons.

"Oh, really? That's a shame. I haven't met decent people, or even kids in so long. I've been on my own forever." The woman looked down at Duck and smiled back.

"We get that. So have we." Ben said for Kenny, who couldn't stop staring at the woman. 'The hell is his deal? Oh.. Ooooohhhhhhh.'

"I.. I noticed the grave outside. Was it-"

"One of ours. Yeah." Ben again answered quickly, not wanting to discuss _that_ further.

"I am so sorry. I wish them the best of luck wherever they find themselves. My name is Sarita." She introduced.

"H-huh? Oh, I'm Kenny, that's Duck- I-I mean Ben, and that's Duck, or Ken Jr." Kenny stuttered, his blush being hidden away by his godlike gray beard.

"Hi!" Duck excitedly greeted, waving his hand. She waved back.

"Heya. It's weird running into someone alone." Ben greeted as well, putting his gun away. His own growing beard was quite striking.

"You're telling me. So many big groups now, there's no room for kindness or humbleness. I hope you are different." Sarita gently replied, smiling at Kenny.

"Well, uh, you could stick around and find out, i-if you want." Kenny twiddled his thumbs like a lovestruck kid. Duck noticed how strange he was acting and crept up to Ben's side.

"Uh.. Is something wrong with dad?" The young boy whispered. Ben almost laughed at the question but instead just smirked and shrugged.

"I wouldn't mind. Where are you heading?" Sarita questioned, stepping a bit closer.

"Well.. Ever heard of a place called Wellington?"

((And that's the end of Kenny's episode, or as I like to call it, Familiar Faces. Now onto the alternate choices!

Chapter 93: Pull out your guns or remain docile?

You guys chose to be friendlier when Randall first met you. As a result, you got the privilege of being able to go on the island without him. If you pulled out your guns, he would accompany you on the island, killing Vernon's crew early and the episode would have been a bit longer, taking more inspiration from Michonne.

Chapter 94: How to react to Randall's jab.

You guys decided to just ask who Norma was. Choosing "What was that?!" would lead to relationship points with Randall lowering. Choosing to say nothing would cause Randall to simply laugh at you. Choosing thanks? Would give this response: "You're welcome. Maybe we can toughen you and your boys up when you get back."

Chapter 95: Escape or keep going?

If you attempted escape, Randall's guards (who guard the bridge) would have brought you back to Randall, who would not take kindly to treason so early. He would bring you to be interrogated by Norma.

Chapter 96: Split up?

If you guys decided to split up, Ben would go with Travis and experience one of Lilly's traps she had set up for Randall's guards. His leg would be mangled by a fallen tree, causing him to be crippled for the rest of the series or he would die due to poor choice making.

Chapter 97: Lilly's fate

You guys chose to let her go. If you had incapacitated her, she would have had to join you on this journey, running away once again at the very end to find shelter somewhere else away from people. If you had let her go and snitched, well.. This choice doesn't really change much since you still encountered Vernon and his people.

Chapter 98: Resist or Comply?

If you had resisted against Vernon's orders, Roman would offer the Travis or Ben choice. Choose one to die for already being a pain in the ass. There's no saving both of them, someone has to die.

Chapter 99: Doubling down

If you had stuck with the original plan, Duck and Travis would have been shot. But, on the bright side, you would have ended all of this much earlier.

Chapter 100 BABY: Tell the truth or lie? (or the third option)

Telling lies would result in basically the same situation, except this time Vernon wouldn't try and save Travis. It would come down to saving yourself or saving Ben. Saying nothing would warrant the same result.

Chapter 101: Who to save?

To clarify, Duck was getting ready to shoot Roman already. The problem was that his pistol wouldn't be as fast as Roman's adult hands on a shotgun. Anyways, saving Travis would get Ben killed, jumping in front of them would get Kenny killed, and doing nothing would only get Travis killed since that's who he was primarily aiming at.

I hope you're all very hyped for season two, because I sure as hell am! I'll be playing the Walking Dead until tomorrow for even more ideas, though I already have a ton mapped out. QOTC: What characters from other shows, games etc do you want to see cameo in here? This isn't a crossover story but it's still fun to add little easter eggs to other series'.))


	103. All That Remains

Last time on the Walking Dead..

Lee, Clementine, Omid, Christa, Molly and Chuck had successfully managed to survive Savannah, get Clem back and stop the stranger from ever doing anything like this again. Unfortunately, like Lee predicted, Clementine's parents didn't make it. The group eventually found a car near the end of the city and made a beeline towards a safer location.

Their car eventually ran out of fuel, but they were in a much quieter forest location where they set up camp near a pitstop bathroom. No one was killed, bit or even miserable anymore. Chuck and Molly always had each other to bounce off of, Lee was always there for Clem and Carley was in a relationship with the man she once called a murderer.

Now, six months into the apocalypse, they encounter something strange.

The Walking Dead Season 2

The group were on their daily walk toward the nearby pitstop, a place for everyone to wash up and refresh the smell of their dirty bodies. Lee led them in the front of the line, with Carley and Clem by his side. Omid and Christa chatted away about the ever approaching arrival of their new child. Chuck and Molly always liked to place bets on what the gender would be.

"Come on, we're not doing that." Christa told her boyfriend. She was wearing a purple shirt with wider jeans. Her stomach was large as expected, but she always looked pretty happy, despite the occasional mood swings.

"Why not?" Omid asked with a chuckle. He wore a yellow jacket and black pants, a bit of stubble around his lips. Other than that, he looked basically the same.

"Who the hell would call it that?" Molly questioned, finding Omid both stupid and funny. She had longer hair that she usually hid under her hoodie, the same one Mark met her in. Her outfit didn't change and neither did she. Chuck snickered at her passing comment. He looked a little hairier but not as dirty. His hair was longer, going down his head a bit and his beard was more pronounced. He wore a new red flannel jacket and baggy brown pants.

"Probably an egotistical maniac." Carley added in her commentary. She looked a lot less tired but her hair is just as short as always. She wore a new white jacket over a black T-shirt. Lee gave a chuckle to her reply, his stub wrapped up in a new bandage that had some cutesy stickers and signatures on it. His beard was insane, wrapping around his chin and upper lip. He wore a new black jacket and blue jeans.

"Come on, Christa, what's wrong with Omid?" Her short boyfriend asked with a smirk.

"We can't name our baby Omid." His girlfriend replied.

"Why not?"

"Because!" She said with a laugh, acknowledging that he was probably joking.

"That would get confusing." Lee said with a shake of his head. Clementine giggled at the obscurity. She looked slightly older but not by much. She wore a blue hoodie and that same blood covered hat.

"Clementine, a little help here?" Christa asked for the girl.

"Hm… What if it's a girl?" Clementine asked.

"Then we name her Christa!" Omid answered quickly.

"What? You're such a jackass." Molly added in.

"No.. Really?" Omid said in fake disbelief.

"You're not takin' this seriously, man. If I were you, I'd be thinking of that 24/7." Lee butted in, stopping in front of the doors with the rest of the group.

"I take _everything_ seriously. Especially little Omid's future." Omid countered.

"You keep this up, you'll be sleeping in the rain tonight. Remember that night in Barstow?" Christa teased.

"Vegas Weekend?" The two smiled at each other for a few seconds.

"Alright, let's start washing up before dinner. Clem, Carley, Chuck, you're with me. Molly, Omid, Christa, you're in the male bathroom. Just wash up and meet outside at ten." Lee ordered.

"We'll come runnin' if we hear anything." Molly said, heading inside with the couple. She lingered at the door.

"Right back atcha." Chuck replied, smiling back at her before disappearing behind the door with the rest of his group

Lee tried starting the sink, they had gotten lucky with a few dribbles of water in the past but this time was much like most other times: A failure. "Shit."

"Hey, don't worry. Just use the water from the purifier. We don't have to wash everyday either." Carley assured, patting his shoulder.

"Yeah, you're telling me. I didn't wash my hands until, oddly, the day I was away from the train. The day I met y'all." Chuck entered a stall to do his business. Clementine looked a bit disappointed at the water situation.

"Well, I don't like being dirty." Clem muttered, folding her arms. She had bits of grime and walker blood on her cheeks.

"I know, hun. Here, let's get you cleaned up." Lee took a rag from his backpack and poured a bit of their water on it, which was easier said than done. He cleaned up her face fairly well though. When he finished, he smiled down at her. "How did I get so lucky to have a cutie like you for a sidekick?" She smiled bashfully.

"Thank you. I know it's stupid, but it just makes me feel wrong, it reminds me of three months ago."

"Still huh? Don't worry, kiddo. We're here for you." Carley said, smiling at Clem before heading into another stall.

"I'll keep watch. Clem, honey, take a bathroom break. We won't be going for the rest of the night." Lee suggested, putting his bag over his shoulder whilst taking his gun out, placing it on the counter.

"Okay, Lee." She headed into the last free stall. Lee leaned against the counter, sighing in relief. He loved these guys, but having a little break to collect himself and get a drink of water was always appreciated. Whilst taking a sip, the faint sounds of the door creaking open could be heard. Lee dropped his bottle on the counter and grabbed his gun quickly.

The person who entered the bathroom was a woman. Not Christa or Molly, but a dark skinned woman, possibly in her teens. The second she caught sight of Lee she gasped and closed the door. "Hey! There's someone else here!" Lee yelled, starting to run outside.

"Huh? W-wait-" Carley tried to react, but Lee was already out the door.

"No time!" He bursted the door open, aiming his pistol at her ankle before firing. The bullet collided with her skin, causing her to fall right onto her face, kissing the dirt. She turned to face Lee, holding her hands up in surrender.

"Wait, please! I-I wasn't going to do anything!" The woman blurted out, breathing heavily as sweat expelled from her forehead.

"Why were you spying on us?!" Lee demanded to know, his finger hovering just above the trigger.

"I-I'm desperate, please.. M-my family is dead and-"

"Everyone's family is! That doesn't give anyone the excuse to plan something against another group. Just tell me what the hell you were thinking!" The doors behind him soon opened, the rest of Lee's group showing themselves.

"I.. I just needed help, t-to fix someone in my group, their leg is messed.. Up." Her eyes locked onto his nub. Maybe that wasn't the best answer..

"What?" He asked, slightly confused. He noticed that she picked up on his 'weakness'. He rolled his eyes.

"Lee, what's going on?" Molly questioned, noticing the woman. "Who the hell is that?"

"A scavenger, with a group." Lee answered.

"No, no, wait! I'm not like that, we aren't like that! We're friendly!" The teen tried to rationalize. The leader didn't buy it.

"Not many friendly groups.. Maybe we could pay them a visit and strike a deal?" Omid suggested, shrugging. Christa was right behind him.

"Or it could be a trap." Chuck said, causing the woman to become even more anxious.

"Exactly. We can't take a risk like that. We've been together for way too long, Christa needs all of us at this point, hell we need each other." Lee raised his gun at her forehead, ready to fire.

"Wait!" Clementine yelled out. Lee looked back at her, concerned.

"What's wrong, Clem?" Lee asked the young girl.

"We.. We can't just kill someone innocent. We already injured her, isn't that enough? We can just let her go." Clementine looked so innocent, her eyes big and kinda scared. She was used to violence, but still hated it, hated holding a gun and firing, especially after the Stranger.

"Or we could buy her friendly group story." Molly said with sarcasm.

"It's not a story! We could use meds, I-I'm sure we can strike a deal!" The scavenger begged, holding her foot as she attempted to squirm back. As she did, she eventually hit a tree, nowhere else to go.

"What do you think? Can we trust her?" Carley asked her boyfriend. He was undecided now, his attention refocused on the woman.

"Please, just don't hurt anyone!" Clem pleaded, causing the situation to become that much more complicated.

Choices:

A: Spare her

B: Kill her

C: Spare her and strike a trade.

Relationships:

Clementine is your fire, the rock you'll never accept losing. The events of her kidnapping have turned you irrationally anxious of every new survivor you come across, but maybe that can change? 10/10

Carley is your girlfriend, the one person you can always rely on for conversation, comfort and non complicated love. She hasn't been too partial of violence, but isn't afraid of it. 10/10

Chuck has been your closest thing to a bro since Mark. He's reliable, smart and relaxed as hell, not minding your choices since he thinks you're just as smart as him. 10/10

Molly trusts you, you've been the best leader she's ever met. Not too rough, not a pussy. She doesn't mind putting a bullet in this woman. 10/10

Omid has always been chill, though not the smartest. He's always been there for everyone, brightening their moods and keeping everyone, especially Christa, sane. He doesn't exactly like violence against people he barely knows. 10/10

Christa is for sure the smartest member of the group. Even while pregnant, she'll frequently help Lee with decisions and has become the new co-leader, replacing Carley. She doesn't mind killing as long as it's warranted like the Stranger and Oberson. 10/10

You just met Michelle. She seems fishy, but will you trust her? Maybe she really is just an innocent teen. 3/10

((QOTC: Favorite character in the, as I like to call it, Urban group? Mine is for sure Lee, but Clem will most likely rise up and become my favorite.))


	104. Labor, or so we Hoped

((Sorry about the hiatus, I needed a break from this story after the whole duplicate reviews thing. If said duplicator promises to start using only one account from now on, I will count his vote. If anybody wants to maybe help out in the story, I actually need some people to help with things like reviews and even marketing, because TWD BYCAM is back. Season 2 officially starts now. Bi daily uploads, more content and better management. If anyone is interested in helping, PM me. Without further ado, here is the first choice of season two.))

Lee knew what he really wanted to do here. Flashbacks of the stranger, Andy St. John and Oberson ran through his mind as he clutched the trigger and looked down the sights at the wounded woman. His previous encounter with a completely random stalker had clouded his judgement, and Clementine was the perfect way to snap him out of his violent thinking.

"Please.. Listen to her!" Michelle pleaded, cowering in fear as her leg leaked blood. Lee sighed and brought his gun back to his pocket. Clem looked at him and smiled with approval to his decision.

"No deal. We'll let you live but we're not walking into that trap." Lee walked up to the woman, who was still terrified of him. He found a large stick nearby, looked sturdy enough, and handed it to her so she could use it as a cane.

"Thank you, I-I understand. I'll never do anything like this to y'all again!" The thief stuttered, clammering up with the stick. She barely managed to land on her feet.

"Good." Was all he could say as she scrambled away. Clementine grabbed his arm while Carley pressed her side against his, watching her leave.

"I know it wasn't easy." Clementine muttered.

"You certainly influenced my decision." Lee replied, looking down at her. She was growing up, and he realized his decisions still could influence her.

"Please, don't become a violent man. You're still a good guy, Lee. You're our leader." The young girl whispered. There was a short pause before Lee found the courage to reply.

"I.. I won't, Clem."

Nine months in.

The group was sitting by a fire, having a somewhat decent meal. A chubby, garbage eating racoon. Christa and Omid had already finished, while The others crowded around the fireplace to enjoy each other's company.

"Clem, you like jokes, right?" Molly asked, breaking the silence. She had a mouthful of meat in her right cheek.

"Yeah, I do." Clem replied after swallowing her food.

"Wanna hear a joke?" The blonde badass questioned, smirking devilishly.

"Molly.." Chuck knew exactly where this was going.

"What?" She asked, flashing him the same smirk, unable to resist the expression.

"Sure!" Clem responded happily.

"So, this father and son are walking through the country.."

"Oh god." Carley muttered, rolling her eyes.

"Let me finish," Molly cleared her throat whilst Chuck began chuckling into his fist, quietly enough so that any nearby unwanted guests couldn't hear. "And they climb a hill. Down below them, they see this field full of sheep."

"Molly," Lee starts, trying to cut her off.

"It's fine! She's almost ten, she can handle this. Anyways, the son gets all excited and says, 'Dad, let's run down there and fuck one of them sheep!'" At this point, Chuck couldn't contain himself and fell to the ground, holding his stomach as he laughed. Carley holds in a chuckle whilst Lee just gives an amused smirk, despite his previous strict parents attitude. Clem looks confused. "Now.. Now the father starts shaking his head at him, looking all disappointed and he says, 'Son, that is just wrong.' The son looks sad, but then the dad puts his hand on his shoulder and says- a-and says.. 'Son, let's WALK down there and fuck ALL of those sheep!" She doubles over on her log seat, giggling to herself. Lee rolls his eyes and Carley gives a pity laugh.

"Do.. Do you get it, darling?" Chuck asks, panting from his bursts of laughter. He wipes a stray tear away.

"..Um, no.." Clem slowly replies, looking genuinely confused.

"Good. It's not a very good joke anyways." Lee buts in, a smile still on his face as he gets up from his seat.

"Says you, Mr. Stoic Leader." Molly shoots.

"Speaking of leader, I'm gonna go watch the perimeter. You all should get some rest." The leader of the group grabbed a backpack on the floor, slumping it over his shoulders.

"Fine, but you have to come back and cuddle before an hour, okay? You look fine today, your sleep schedule is getting better, but I still need you, got it?" Carley kissed his cheek before heading towards her tent. They had tents now- one for Clem, Lee and Carley, one for Omid and Christa and another for Chuck and Molly.

"Alright, alright. I love you Car. Clem, get some rest after you're done with the fire."

"Love you too." Carley flirted, disappearing into the tent.

"Stay safe, Lee." The nine and a half year old waved him goodbye, following Carley.

"See ya." Molly waved, continuing to sit while Charles attempted to put the fire out.

"Sometimes, I think to myself how lucky we are." Molly says to her best friend, the stars and moon glimmering down as insects chirped for ambience.

"You can say that again." Chuck replied, stomping out the flames.

"How lucky I am, to an extension." Molly added, looking down at her blood soaked hands. Luckily, it was all dry.

"I would certainly be dead if it weren't for Lee. You'd probably still be some angsty teenager if it weren't for us." The old man said.

"Shut up, gramps. You'd already be a geek."

"True enough." Chuck chuckled, shaking his head as the surrounding area went completely dark, save for some candles illuminating the tents.

"..You sure we're ready for Christa's kid?" Molly asked, a bit weary.

"To be honest? I ain't sure. We don't have a roof anymore thanks to that thief. Lee made a good call movin' and all but.. Where the hell is Christa gonna give birth now without attractin' the dead around all of us?" Chuck answered, sounding worried himself as he began walking toward their tent.

"Damn. True that." Molly began following him.

"Anyways-"

"AH! What the hell!?" That was Christa's voice, a yelp of pain followed by confusion. 

"..What was that?" Molly slowly asked. Her question, even if she already knew the answer, was answered when Omid popped his head out of the tent.

"Chuck! Help, Christa's water broke!" He shouted, opening the tent enough for the man to fit in. Shocked, he ran toward the tent and slipped inside. Clem and Carley quickly appeared outside next to Molly.

"What's wrong?" Clem asked, hiding behind Carley who already had her gun out.

"Christa's water broke. God, we are not ready for this.." Molly answered behind her palm. She sighed, tapping her foot against the grass.

"Hell no we're not! Where's Lee? Still out?" Carley replied, more than scared. This was really bad.

"Yup, I'm sure he'll protect us from any unwanted attention so don't worry about him." Molly answered once again, looking around for anyone coming toward them.

"I'm going out to help him. Protect Clem." Carley cocked her pistol, ready to go. Molly halted her.

"Other way around, dumbass. Keep your gun and protect the people here, I, with my superior melee skills will protect the one armed Lee. Got it?" Molly took out Hilda and began walking out to where Lee usually was when he was on watch, hiding next to trees. She mostly left so she didn't have to deal with all of that, but also since she is technically better with close quarters combat.

"Uh.. Yeah, sure." Carley shook her head, looking around with her now unsafe firearm.

"What can I do?" Clem asked the quickly disappearing Molly.

"Stay here, you have a gun right?" She hastily replied before running off.

"Is Christa going to be okay?" Clementine anxiously asked, her breathing picking up as she held her gun to where Lee showed her. She had gotten much better at keeping it steady thanks to even more training and experience.

"I don't know, I think as long as we can protect her, she'll be-"

"T-there's more..? I thought it was only supposed to happen once?" Christa yelled out from the tent.

"T-that's not normal fluid.. It's red." Chuck hesitated, sounding completely lost. Clementine was extremely nervous and confused, but Carley understood.

"No.. That's not b-blood is it..?!" Omid panicked.

"I.. Christa, I.." Chuck stuttered.

"No.. Please, no!" Christa could be heard sobbing uncontrollably. No sign of a baby, no sign of anything breathing or kicking inside of her plump stomach. Nothing but blood and tears. Christa and Omid would never be the same again.

Sixteen months later

The group marched through the woods, bags of supplies over their shoulders. Molly and Chuck whispered to each other about their usual chatter, Lee held Clem close as usual while Carley held her gun right behind her boyfriend. Christa and Omid lagged behind as usual. They never talked anymore unless they were alone or in group discussion. Omid still tried to lighten up moods but his jokes had become much less funny and more forced. Christa only ever talked about how shitty everything was, how there was no hope for this world and how much they needed to stay sharp. She was all about survival now.

"Clem, uh, mind checking the map? It's in my right pocket." Lee asked, not stopping anytime soon despite the late hours. It was late, raining and generally moody, even if only two members of the group were truly depressed.

"Oh, sure." Clementine looked way different. She now wore a pink shirt, blue jeans and a pair of pink shoes. Her hat still rested on her perfectly cut head, but her face had definitely matured. She was eleven now, and the difference between then and now really showed. She did as Lee asked, pulling a folded up map from his pant pocket. She unfolded it and scanned it with her guardian.

"Hm.. Six miles in a car till the next town." Lee muttered to the group before signaling for Clem to put it back.

"Think we'll luck out and get one? A car, I mean." Molly questioned.

"Using the word luck usually implies that it ain't likely. What do you think?" Chuck teased, playfully hitting her shoulder.

"I know, smartass." Molly said with a roll of her eyes.

"We can't depend on cars." Lee replied.

"Well, if we want to get to Wellington and survive, we need one. Otherwise.." Christa looked down at her stomach before quickly shaking her head, ridding the memory back down to her suppressed consciousness where it never stayed.

"Christa, we'll be fine." Omid tried to cheer her up even just a little, holding her hand in his.

"You have no clue if that's true or not." She mumbled pessimistically.

"I.. I know." Omid let go of her hand and sighed, trailing even behind her. The group walked in silence for a few minutes, not a hint of shelter in sight. The snap of a twig nearby was loud enough to even rival the rain's volume. Lee noticed and stopped. The group mimicked his sudden freeze.

"Shh. Did you hear that?" He raised his only arm, holding up a silence sign as he looked around for the culprit of the noise. He drew his gun, and the rest of the group copied that. Chuck still had his AK since he had never really used it before, whilst the others carried pistols.

"Don't move." A voice said from behind Omid, pressing a gun to the back of his head. There were three men, one with a pistol, one with a shotgun and another with a spear. Omid dropped his gun immediately, but the rest of the group kept theirs raised to the men. One was a shaggy man with a spear and dark grey skin, a weird color but not really for these times. Omid was starting to look like that lately. The others were a black man with an eyepatch who held the pistol to Omid's head. The last man had grey hair, white skin and looked middle aged. He looked like one of those TV dads, save for the shotgun in his hands and the murderous, greedy intent in his eyes.

"Hand over everything and we'll let you live. We don't outnumber you, but we can certainly make an impact." The dad looking bandit demanded, holding his shotgun at Christa. She had her finger on the trigger.

"Fuck off, get the hell away from him!" The tall woman yelled, stepping forward whilst aiming down the sights.

"Christa, calm down.." Carley muttered. She had her gun raised at the man with the spear, who was also aiming right at her.

"No fucking way, if you touch him, I'll kill every last one of you." Christa threatened, her voice becoming shaky. She didn't scare them.

"Please, don't hurt us!" Clementine yelled, trying to act innocent. 

"We won't, girlie, just give us what we want and we'll leave." The shaggy looking guy gently stated. Clem had her gun raised on him, even though it was a tough shot between him and Omid.

"I'm not sure I like that idea.." The hooded male whispered to their leader.

"Too fucking bad, man. They aren't gonna do shit. This group still has some heart." The leader replied. Lee heard him, pocketed his pistol and stepped forward with his hands raised, guarding Clementine.

"You need heart, otherwise what separates you from walkers? Why don't you start walking away before it's too late." The leader of our group tried to reason, using Clem's

"I don't think so. I'm not heartless, but I am desperate."

"Please, don't.. I've already lost enough."

"I'm sorry, you know how it is. Give it up and you'll be fine."

"Lee.. What the hell do we do?"

(Playing as Clementine) Choices:

A: Give them the stuff

B: Shoot them!

C: Let Lee handle this.

Relationships:

Lee is your protector, your guardian and the closest thing to a dad since you lost your own. 10/10

Carley is like a mom to you. You two grew much closer over the years as she grew much closer to Lee. Now she is willing to hear you out when you have a problem, will always support you over almost anyone else, and would die for you. 10/10

Christa hasn't talked to you much since the miscarriage. She cares about you and that's about as deep as it goes. She's actually kinda jealous of Lee and Carley. 8/10

Omid still tries to talk to you, but your conversations don't last particularly long. You still love him, of course. 9/10

Chuck has always been a sweet uncle type. He's Lee's best friend and for good reason. A reliable guy who's great with kids. 10/10

Molly is the same way, though more of an aunt. She lets you get away with stuff Lee is still iffy about and will protect you at all costs. In private she's a total sweetheart. 10/10

((QOTC: What would you have named Christa's baby? I would have gone for either Mark Jr. as suggested to me in the reviews or Princess for a girl, considering that Omid naming his daughter something special is really sweet in my opinion.))


	105. Broken

Clementine froze. If she made some spontaneous decision, it might backfire on her. She's still just a kid compared to her adult protectors. She was sure Lee could handle this. He looked over at Carley, then at her gun before nodding and dropping his own. "We.. We surrender. Take everything you need." He answered the thieves sadly, tossing them his backpack.

"Lee, what?! No fucking way!" Christa yelled in shock, keeping her gun trained on the shotgun wielding thief.

"Christa.. Baby, it's fine.." Omid gently whispered, feeling the pistol against his head harden. He let out a light groan, sweat dripping down the barrel.

"Good choice." The leader said as Carley, Chuck and Molly reluctantly copied Lee. Omid's bag was stripped from his back.

"Omid, we- we can't.." Christa hesitated, feeling herself become shaky.

"Just listen to Lee. He's the smartest man I know, we're gonna be okay." He tried to rationalize, keeping his hands in the air as the bandits searched through their stuff.

"Please, Christa. Nobody wants to die." Clem added, bringing her purple bag with all of the motor inn's stickers on it to the ground. Christa tried to disagree, but then looked back at her, would be, husband and faced the cold reality.

"Fine.. Here." Her gun dropped along with her bag full of food, a water bottle and painkillers. The man holding Omid looked down at his friends.

"Well, anything good?" He asked, holding a shaking Omid tightly.

"Not much, but it'll do." His leader answered, checking out a few candy bars from Molly's bag, along with some weird colored masks with girly stickers on them.

"Not much? We'll die if we keep that mentality up. Victor, this is fucking worthless. We might as well just kill 'em." The aggressive man who held Omid threatened, taking the safety off of his pistol. Christa gasped, Omid nearly pissed himself.

"Calm down, Ralph. I don't want to waste any bullets." Victor held his hands up, resting his shotgun on his shoulder as he slowly approached his friend. The group watched in both confusion and horror.

"Then have Jeremy take care of 'em!" He pointed at the man with a spear. All eyes were on him.

"I dunno man, you ain't the boss of me." Jeremy replied, nearly chuckling from nervousness. Ralph looked furious. Thunder and lightning crackled in the distance.

"Then fuck both ya'll. I'm sick of this shit, bein' treated like a goomba. If I'm dying, I'm taking someone with me, someone with something to lose." Ralph's finger rested on the trigger, ready to pull.

"What is he talking about?" Carley demanded to know, looking directly at Victor. Before he could respond, Christa attempted to reach out for her boyfriend, scanning for a viable escape from this.

"Omid!" She yelled, her voice breaking.

"W-what about the deal?! H-have a heart man, please!" Omid begged, struggling in the man's grasp. The bandit didn't loosen up a bit.

"You think there's room for heart now? I hate how fucking weak you are, and yet you're still here-" BANG. Out of nowhere, Carley blasts Ralph's head like a donut.

"Ralph! You bitch!" Victor aimed his shotgun at Carley, ready to shoot. Carley couldn't react in time.

"NO, Carley, duck!-" Lee yelped, about to push her out of the way. The spread shot of the gun in Victor's hands fired, heading straight for the ex reporter. Before Lee could even save her, Omid jumped in front of the bullets, being launched down to the floor. The blowback hit him like a truck. Victor was distracted long enough so that Clementine could finish him off, shooting him in the forehead. It made her feel just as gross as when she killed the stranger, her hands shaking violently. Lee grabbed her hand and began stepping away. Jeremy, the last man, was too terrified to do anything. He began running away. The rest of the group didn't care about him; They were worried about Omid.

Christa hovered over her lover, her forehead against his as she clutched his hand as tightly as possible. He coughed up blood, the salty liquid drizzling from his lips. "Omid, PLEASE, PLEASE don't die. I-I'm so sorry.." She was already crying hysterically. Molly and Chuck kept watch for walkers, every single one for five miles could have probably heard that loud ass boom.

"C-chri-st-a!.. I-I fuckin' love you s-so muc-h.. H-Hope, k-keep he-r a-alive.. For u-us.." Omid was barely able to speak in between all of the gasps for air and coughing, clutching onto her hand for dear life.

"Hope? B-but.."

"Sh-agh-hh.. S-she's a-live.. I-in you. K-keep y-yoursel-f s-safe.." His lights faded, his hand dug into her palm, causing her to break skin. She laid her head down on his chest and broke down completely.

"Christa.. I'm so sorry.." Carley tried to comfort, placing her hand on her bony shoulder. Lee was shocked, too shocked for words. Clementine was terrified.

"Omid.. Please, no…" In a flash, Christa had lost her home, her baby and now her true love. That night, under the cold, wet rain and cloudy sky, she had broken.

"W-we have to get moving. Walkers will be on us, that shotgun certainly wasn't quiet." Lee said, breaking the 'silence'. As silent as an area under a thunderstorm could get.

"Yeah, no kidding. We gotta get out of these goddamn woods." Molly replied, looking for a safe way out. She picked up her bag, along with Lee and Chuck. Carley had hers and Christa's, and Clementine's was gone. That thief must have taken it before he left.

"Good thing we were already on our way out before we were attacked, shouldn't be too far." Chuck looked around for the map, which luckily Clem had in her pocket. She pulled it out and scanned the map.

"Clementine, what does the map say?" Lee questioned.

"It says we have to go that way to the nearest town. It's kind of small though." Clem informed him, showing the map to her guardian.

"Good, small is good. Come on." Molly quickly said, beginning to walk in the general direction of said town. Chuck began following her.

"Carley, Christa, we have to go." Lee told the two, waiting for them to catch up. He could hear walkers in the distance. Clementine stayed by his side.

"In a minute, Lee. She just lost Omid for God's sake." Carley responded, holding an endlessly sobbing Christa whilst she clutched his chest. Lee hesitated, looking back at Molly and Chuck, then back to his girlfriend and Christa. They could protect themselves, but Christa in her state would drag Carley down. He needed to protect them.

"..I'm staying with you. I can't let anything happen to anyone else." The dark skinned male approached the two, pulling out his gun. Walkers were slowly but surely finding their way to them.

"If you want to, fine." Carley replied quickly, trying to coddle the mess that was Christa as fast as she could before things got dangerous.

"Clementine, stay close to Chuck and Molly, okay?" Clem was conflicted with what Lee said. On one hand, Lee can probably handle the walkers with Carley, plus Christa is still conscious and can probably save herself. She also looked at Chuck and Molly, who were extremely heightened survivors with easy going personalities and a firm grasp on close quarters combat. The question was, should she obey Lee or help protect Christa?

Choices:

A: Go with Chuck and Molly

B: Go with Carley, Lee and Christa.

Relationships:

Lee appreciates that you think he's still a reliable leader. 10/10

Carley is glad you let Lee handle things. Shit went down, but it could have been worse. 10/10

Molly is pretty shaken up, but she's just worried for Christa at this point. She thinks things could have gone way worse. 10/10

Chuck is just glad you're okay. 10/10

Christa is a broken woman. Now that she's lost her boyfriend and her unborn child.. What else does she have? She partially blames Lee for this. 8/10

((QOTC: Now that we've lost one old favorite, I have to ask: Did you like Omid here? Do you wish someone else could have gone, and if so, who in the group?))


	106. A Dog?

Clementine decided against distrusting her leader and guardian, mumbling "Be safe.." Before running toward Chuck and Molly. The eleven year old quickly caught up with the pair. Walkers followed them, but were mostly either taken out by Hilda or via a hard punch in the skull from Chuck as they hauled ass with help from the map.

"So.. What's our plan?" Clementine asked the two adults, panting as she ran just behind them.

"Find a safe place, wait out for Lee and the others to find us, and.. Head north I guess." Chuck answered, keeping his eyes on the walkers in front of him.

"You guess?" Molly skeptically said, tripping a walker when it got too close.

"I-I dunno, Lee didn't tell us. We'll just have to make it to town before they do." The old man suggested, taking the map from Clementine when she offered it. He stared at it and continued to follow it's directions to town. There was a gunshot that could be heard in the distance, way back with Lee, Carley and Christa. Clem wanted nothing more than to check on him, already tensing up with him gone. Molly held her hand.

"He'll be fine, Clem, focus! He's survived a shit ton more than a few walkers!" Molly reminded the girl. She realized this was true and tried to suppress her worries, and it seemed to work for the time being. Christa on the other hand...

* * *

It was morning when the trio finally found the town. Most of the walkers from last night were either dead or gone somewhere else. "This is it, right? I can see buildings up ahead." Molly pointed at a few structures just below the horizon. They couldn't see the town itself, but it was just about visible in a few steps.

"Yup, according to the map." Chuck answered, looking down at the piece of informative piece of paper they had found near the amusement park before they headed out for 'Wellington'. Upon getting a full view of the area, they noticed one teensy, tiny problem with it.

"..Guys, it's filled with walkers." Clem said, breaking the daze of the two who were literally just standing in frustration and shock and how many walkers were crawling around in such a small town.

"..We know." Molly slowly answered.

"..Shit." Chuck added, just to feel less left out.

"So, now what?" The young girl asked, looking around to see if there were any other areas to explore.

"Well.. I don't know about y'all, but I'm starving." Chuck pocketed the map and started looking too.

"Psht, you could say that again!" Molly agreed, cracking a smile. Clementine wasn't new to just how chill these two could be, but she never really got to be alone with them either. Lee was getting stricter each month it seemed, and yet he still treated her like a kid.

"I could eat." She tried the whole chill act too, even though she could feel herself becoming anxious that Lee had no idea where they were.

"Let's go find something. Then we can decide on a good place to camp out." Chuck took charge, beginning to walk along a dirt path. The two followed him.

"Lead the way, gramps." The blonde teased.

"Do you guys think Lee, Carley and Christa will find us?" Clementine asked. Neither adults spoke.

"...I don't know. We can use smoke signals, but that may get us robbed again. Or worse." Chuck sighed, reminding everyone of what had just caused the group to split up in the first place.

"Shit, Omid. That was hours ago." Molly whispered, slipping her hands in her pockets to hide her clenching fists.

"..They just shot him. Without thinking twice." Clem muttered. She wasn't angry, just shooken up. Reasonable enough, the kid hadn't witnessed anything like that since.. The stranger.

"He deserved better. He should be here, with us. Thinking about it now.. He probably turned." _Please, shut up, Chuck._

"Shut up. Let's.. Let's not think about that." Molly spoke the words from Clem's thoughts, furrowing her brows in annoyance at her best friend.

"Sorry. I'm just thinkin' out loud." He sighed as well, keeping silent. Omid would leave a hole in all of them, that's for sure. Even though he wasn't the most talkative after Hope's premature death, he still tried to brighten up everyone's day. He even had plans to wed Christa that he talked about with Lee and Chuck once they all got over this. Maybe someday, they could try again. Those dreams died with Omid.

_Rustle, rustle._

The group stopped and focused on a bit of greenery that was moving. Instinctively, Molly pulled out Hilda. Chuck took out a little wrench he always kept on hand. Clem pulled out her gun that was near empty on bullets. They all stared intensely at it for a minute or so, glaring and waiting for some sort of sneak attack.

"Clem, cover me. I'm going in." Molly whispered, taking a step forward, followed by another, preparing herself to strike.

"Be careful." Chuck warned.

"I'll be-"

"Woof! Woof!" It was a dog! A beautiful, but skinny as all hell, golden dog.

:..Fine. It's.. A dog? Holy shit." Molly was astonished, hell all three of them were. They hadn't seen a dog in literal years that wasn't dead. Chuck immediately approached him, bending down to show him his innocence.

"Heeey boy~ What's your name?" The dog didn't show any signs of aggression. Instead he approached Charles and began sniffing him.

"Huh..? The hell are you doing, old man?" Molly asked, watching with Clementine, the latter of which had already pocketed her pistol.

Chuck checked the dog's collar and gave a wide smirk. "Sam is it? I bet you're a real good boy! Where are your owners, buddy?"

"I think he likes him." Clem said, folding her arms with a small smile.

The older female chuckled. "Hehe, ya think?" Charles stood up after whispering something to the animal. It began walking away from them, and he began following it. "We're following a dog..? Are you insane?! We need food, not a pet!"

"He can help!" The previously homeless man tried to defend the dog.

"How?" Chuck just shrugged. Not even he knew the answer to that just kept following the dog.

"What else do we have to go on?" The mature eleven year old questioned, somewhat skeptical herself.

"..Good point." Molly rolled her eyes, but was honestly amused. 'Survival is more important than fun? What's the point of surviving if you can't amuse yourself? So stupid.' She thought to herself, thinking back to the other half of the group. Sam the dog ended up bringing them over to a little resting spot. There was a busted up broken down van, a destroyed tent, a broken grill, a cooler which reeked even staying away from it, and a huge trash can. Chuck smiled at their fortune and went down to pet the dog.

"Alright, everyone should look for food. Once we find something and regain our energy, we'll find a way to contact the rest of our group afterwards."

"Okay, I'll check over here!" Clem said, heading over to the van. Looked like there were some boxes of stuff in it.

"Nice plan, geezer. I'll look with the girl." Molly shortly followed.

"Sam and I will check around. Holler if you see anything important or dangerous." Chuck added as he walked in the opposite direction.

"Sure." Clem replied with a nod, digging through a cardboard box. Not much of interest, aside from a picture of the family that owned Sam.

"So.. Thoughts on the dog?" Molly asked, looking around the floor for anything useful.

"He's cute. I haven't seen one in a long time." The young girl responded, climbing inside the van.

"Same here. Could be a risk though."

"Yeah, dogs do a lot of barking and whimpering. It's kinda annoying too." That got a chuckle out of the older woman.

"Pfft, you can say that again. I had a cat named Mr. Princess, best fucking pet ever. Real calm and could catch his own food. My kind of animal."

"I had a pet hamster. He was adorable, but died before all of this."

"Maybe that's a good thing." Ah, that was awkward. Luckily, something quickly distracted Clem from having to confront that awkwardness. For some odd reason, Omid's death was really affecting Molly. They were good buddies for a while until the baby.. Well, you know.

Clem found a little plastic toy in a bin in the passenger seat. She gasped and grinned, picking it up. It was a piece of broccoli with a funny afro and weird sunglasses. He even had chest hair.. "Disco broccoli! Oh my god, I loved this show!" She clutched the toy to her chest as Molly approached her, confusion written on her face.

"Disco what?"

"Broccoli! He was the main character of this show, 'Disco Broccoli and his Chive Talkin' Friends.' Me and my babysitter Sandra would watch it all the time.." Clem reminisced, tossing the toy in her pocket. Her bag was stolen, but there had to be something else she could use.

"Heh, I miss cartoons. Me and my sister used to watch em too. I really miss TV, man."

"Yeah.. Maybe it'll come back someday."

"God, I hope so too."

"Woof! Woof, woof! Grr.." Sam had targeted something, and whatever it was did not make him happy.

"Looks like our friend found something. C'mon, there ain't shit here." Molly said, hopping out of the van. Clem followed as they walked to Sam and Chuck near a tree. "What's all the ruckus?"

"Just a walker. Calm down, buddy. He's dead." Chuck soothed, petting behind Sam's ear. That got him to calm down. There was a knife sticking out of the walker Sam was barking at, right in his arm. He was bitten on the same area the knife was stuck in. The walker was leaning against a tree, maybe two months old at this point.

"Looks like he tried to cut it out." Clem muttered sadly.

"He wasn't cutting anything with that thing. Way too dull, wouldn't even break bone." Chuck pointed out, folding his arms as the walker weakly reached toward them. His legs were crushed completely, like they had been broken from falling somewhere.

"Well, we could use the knife. Let's take him out. Clem, would you do us the honors?" Molly suggested, roughly patting the kid on her shoulder.

"Oh, sure. But I don't have a weapon like you guys." She replied, referring to their melee's.

"Use whatever you can find. That's an important skill to learn if you ask me." Molly said matter-of-factly.

"Nobody asked you." Chuck teased.

"Shut up, asshole." Molly replied with a chuckle. Clem searched the ground before finding a pretty large tree branch. She picked it up, it's weight nearly dominating her strength. Still, she picked it up above her head and swung against the walkers head. "Ah!" She grunted, blood splattering on the ground. The walker's skull was now showing, and he seemed dead, but within seconds he was back to moaning, his milky pale eyes staring directly at Clementine as he reached out for a bite of the eleven year old.

"Go ahead, keep trying." Chuck encouraged, patting her hat gently. She nodded, swinging again. Still groaning. One more striker bursted his brains open, finally killing the walker.

"Nice one, kid. Now we have this." Molly praised, grabbing the knife from it's arm. She handed it to Clem after wiping the dark brown blood from it. "You needed a melee weapon, right? Take it."

Clem smiled, taking it from the older, lax woman's hand. "Thanks, Molly."

"Anytime, kid. Let's keep looking." And that's what they did. Chuck and Sam sniffed around while Clem and Molly searched like normal desperate people.

"Ugh! Agh, I am so sick of that smell!" Clem coughed out after opening a cooler filled with rotten food and walker guts. Molly held in a chuckle as she inspected a grill. It had a hole in it and was empty unfortunately. Luckily, Chuck had struck gold. He was digging through the garbage when he found a full, slightly heavy can of baked beans.

"Look! I found something!" Chuck announced, causing the two to appear in front of him within moments.

"Oh my gosh, finally." Clem silently celebrated, her stomach rumbling at the sight of the tin can.

"God I'm hungry. We should save some for the others, but let's not be too generous, okay?" Molly said, rubbing her palms together whilst licking her dry lips.

"I getcha. C'mon, let's eat." Chuck led the three to a log. They all sat down, ready to dig in. "Shit, gotta open it. Here, Clem, open it with that knife we got."

"Sure thing. Anything for some food." Clem took out the knife and carved out the cover. Sam waited patiently in front of her, which the girl noticed. She felt bad for the pup, he barely had a stomach and didn't even have any owners. The three silently began eating, but Clem was pondering if they should give even a little to the stray.

Choices:

A: Feed Sam

B: Save it for Lee, Carley and Christa.

Relationships:

Lee is happy you listened to him. He really wants to see you again, and hopefully he will. 10/10

Carley hopes you're okay. She's fine with you going with Chuck and Molly. 10/10

Christa is a mess. She doesn't care about anything at the moment. Her mind is numb. 8/10

Chuck really does like you. He's like an uncle to you, and he likes how you trust him enough to come with him over Lee, despite your feelings. 10/10

Molly really likes you too, another female to talk to who isn't cynical or an adult. It's just what she needs. 10/10

Sam seems hungry, and if it weren't for him we wouldn't even have this food.. Should we take the risk and feed him? 6/10

((QOTC: Thoughts on this scene in canon? I always thought it was a great bitch slap to Clem that she's alone and no one can help her. A reminder that she'll die without friends.))


	107. A Sign of Safety

As Clem chewed on the beans, something about the dogs desperate whimpering made her feel really guilty. Survival of the fittest wasn't in her vocabulary. "We should feed Sam, too. He looks like he hasn't had a proper meal in ages." She suggested, waiting for the adult's response.

"Poor guy. Here, let me." Chuck grabbed the can from Clem's hands, getting up from his seat to pour out a small amount of food far away from the three. Sam eagerly rushed to eat the mush of beans right off the floor. He gobbled it up within seconds. Although he couldn't find the source of the food, he did smell it somewhere. At any rate, Molly was not happy.

"What the hell, guys? That dog will live like, a month after this. We have a group who could have used that!" She scolded, taking the can away from Chuck roughly.

"..Right." Chuck awkwardly replied, scratching the back of his gray head.

"Sorry, it just looked so.. Helpless. I know we're more important but I couldn't help myself. Lee's felt that way too." Clem said with a sigh, causing Molly to have to think of a reply. Damnit, if that kid wasn't cute.. In the time it took for her to think of a reply, they had already eaten everything.

"..Whatever. We really should get going, and find them." Molly finally replied, wiping her mouth. The beans didn't taste good but they certainly scratched an itch.

"You're right. Come on, let's go." Chuck began leading the group toward the woods once again, tossing the now empty can to Sam so he could finish it off. "Good luck, buddy." He said to the K9, finally leaving with his group.

* * *

They walked aimlessly for half an hour, calling out the names of their friends. Of course, they weren't stupid, they knew yelling could draw walkers, or worse bandits. Clem had her gun out, Chuck had his AK front and center as an intimidation tactic of sorts and Molly had Hilda as usual. "Lee? Carley? Christa? Are you there?" Clem called out desperately, attracting the attention of a straggler walker. It tried to attack her, but Molly was quick to shove her hook in it's head.

"That knife ain't the best weapon in the world, just so you know. Especially not for someone your height. Be careful." Molly informed, referring to the short pocket knife they found on the walker earlier.

"I know, I know. Thanks." The girl responded with a worried expression, not for her life but for the rest of the group.

"Shit, we haven't seen 'em all day. I'm really starting to-"

"Hey! Excuse me!" Chuck was cut off by a voice. It was gravely, a bit hoarse even, definitely not a female voice or Lee's. Two men entered the trio's field of vision, one with a crossbow and the other with a rifle. Chuck stood in front of the girls, not threatening them yet but standing his ground.

"...Who the hell is that?" Molly whispered.

"Dunno. Stay behind me, I'll protect ye." Chuck stated as the two men grew closer. One had shaggy brown hair, a mustache and a torn orange shirt with a machete in a holster on his back. The other had gray hair and looked much older than the other, maybe in his late forties. He had a chinstrap beard, a green jacket and cargo pants.

"That might be them." The younger guy muttered to the older man.

"Seems that way.. Hello! You're peaceful, right?" The older man asked, his weapon already lowered.

"Depends on if you're trying to rob us or not." Molly blurted out behind Chuck.

"No, no we ain't like that. We were lookin' for a small group of three." The younger guy replied, stepping closer. He had his gun lowered already, showing his peacefulness. "An old guy, a little girl and a blonde woman. Y'all seem to fit the bill."

"Who sent you?" Clem asked, praying in her mind it was Lee.

"A guy with one arm named Lee. He and his friends found us last night whilst escapin' some lurkers. I don't know what would have happened to them if they didn't stumble upon us." The young man answered confidently.

"That's them, no question. We should go and check things out." Molly said to her closest companion.

"Agreed," Chuck put away his gun and approached the men, holding his hand out. "The name's Chuck. Charles if you're fancy." The young man took his hand and shook it. Molly and Clem also approached the two, no longer hiding, now with their weapons hidden.

"I'm Molly, nice to meet ya." The woman waved toward the older male, who waved back with a sincere, almost relieved smile. He looked down at Clem.

"How about you, darlin'?" He questioned.

"Clementine." She answered quietly, staring him in the eyes with a small smile. She was just happy to see Lee again, wherever he was.

"Can't imagine what you've been through, Clementine." The man followed up.

"Tell me about it." Clem said with a shake of her head.

"Well, I'm Luke, and this here's Pete. We'll take you to your people but just so you know, we have a larger group than yours." Luke introduced himself, beginning to walk with Pete. They began leading them toward their base.

"Last night your friends slept in the shed. Now, Luke and I trust 'em, but we have an entire group undecided about what to do. We've been through all sorts of shit lately and it just keeps piling up. I just hope you understand why we're on the side of caution." Pete explained, sounding calm yet tired at the same time.

"Who wouldn't be cautious now? I understand plenty." Chuck sympathized with the men, digging his hands in his pockets.

"Good, good." Pete repeated, happy to hear it.

"Say, y'all don't know anyone named uh.. Carver, do ya? Gray hair, gravelly voice, mustache, that don't ring no bells?" Luke asked, turning back to face Clem, Molly and Chuck.

"Nope, sorry. We usually keep to ourselves after an event a few years back." Molly answered after thinking for half a second.

"It's more than okay. The cabin is about ten minutes away, so ask any questions if you need to." Luke offered, turning back to face the dirt road. Clementine pondered in her head for some questions, and three came up at the top of her head.

Choices:

A: Who's Carver?

B: How many people are in your group? Who are they?

C: How's Christa, Lee and Carley?

D: Say nothing.

Relationships:

Lee is alive! He's waiting for you at Luke and Pete's. 10/10

Carley is safe, she's waiting for you at Luke and Pete's. 10/10

Christa is.. Okay? At least she's alive. 8/10

Molly is a bit upset you wasted precious food on a dog, but otherwise she's fine. 9/10

Chuck appreciates your kindness towards Sam. 10/10

((QOTC: Most underrated character in TWDG history? I'd argue for either Conrad or Ben, but Ben gets more love nowadays, so definitely Conrad.))


	108. A Rocky Intro

Clementine pondered about this 'Carver' guy. From what she could hear, it sounded like they were scared of him or something. "Who's Carver?" She asked. Molly and Chuck were wondering the same thing. Luke and Pete looked at each other as if to ask 'the hell do we say to that?'

"Uh.. Let's just say he's not a good guy. We had a run in with him and.. It's complicated." Luke tried to explain. It sounded like he was walking on eggshells with his words, carefully determining every word.

"We heard y'all were headed up north to some big group. Mind telling us about it?" Pete questioned in an attempt to change the topic. The three noticed, but decided to drop it. Last thing they needed was a fight in the middle of the woods.

"Sure thing. It's called Wellington, supposed to have big walls and be freezing cold so walkers get even slower." Chuck explained.

"I'm honestly kinda skeptical, but after all the shit we've been through I'll do anything for a solid place to call home." Molly stated.

"We understand that. Oh, and you guys aren't uh.. Bit or anything, right?" Luke asked, turning back to look at them. They rolled up their sleeves to prove they weren't.

"Nope, we've survived this long." Chuck told them.

"Well, Lee did. But he took the arm off quickly." Clementine pointed out.

"I noticed. I had a cousin down in Ainsworth who did the same thing. Must have scared the piss outta him." The gray haired man sympathized, shaking his head at the thought.

"He was screaming pretty loud." Molly joked.

"Who wouldn't be? I'd pass out from fear alone." Luke shivered at the thought, sharing Pete's uncomfort with the topic.

"'Course you would." Pete teased the younger man. Luke rolled his eyes.

"At least you're honest. Lee's a strong man." The eleven year old said.

"I could tell. He looks like hell." The young, brown haired man replied.

"Tch, you could say that about anyone in our group at this point." Molly mumbled, folding her arms to warm herself up. They continued walking for a few seconds until they reached a part of the woods with less trees on a hill. The hill led to a dirt path, which led to more trees before the base of this new group. It was a cozy looking cabin with a shed a couple meters away. They couldn't see anyone from here, but they figured Lee, Carley and Christa were there.

"That's our place, and as long as our group votes on it, yours for at least a week until you can figure things out." Pete said, pointing toward the cabin.

"Thank you. Really." Chuck spoke softly and earnestly.

"It's too good to be true. You're really going to be this generous?" Clem questioned, looking around for any traps. So far so good, but if the St. John's taught her anything, it's to stay on guard.

"We're not all so nice, sweetheart. C'mon, let's not keep 'em waiting." Pete responded, leading the group towards the cabin. Clementine took a look up at the sky, which was turning gray. A storm was coming. How long had they been out? It must be one PM by now..

The walk to the cabin was quiet, save for the chirping of birds and the sounds of boots against the autumn leaves, crunching with every step. Finally, there they were. Lee, Christa and Carley were all standing outside, without their bags though. There were three men and a woman outside with them, standing on the porch of the cabin. Clementine, overjoyed to see them again, rushed up to Lee the second he noticed her arrival. The two shared a hug that nearly knocked Lee over. "Hey, girl!"

"Lee! Thank god, I was so worried.." She sighed in relief, holding him tight.

"I'm alright, sweet pea. Everything is fine.." His calm, slightly gravelly voice replied gently.

"Carley, what's up?" Molly held her fist out for a fist bump, but Carley looked at her with a glare. Molly raised her brows before disregarding her fist. "What's wrong? Are you o-"

"It's not about me, Molly, it's about her. It's about Omid, who we lost yesterday. I'm not in a good mood, especially because of how he died. So please, have more respect." Carley demanded, walking away from the playful woman. Luke and Pete shrugged.

"Hey, I'm sorry, but I seriously doubt he would want us grieving him for too long. He liked a lightened up mood."

"You think you knew what he wanted?" Christa whispered, tightening her fist.

"Christa.. How are you?" Chuck muttered back, stepping forward hesitantly. The people near the cabin just watched awkwardly.

"How am I? I'm great, Chuck. How are you?" Christa asked sarcastically, staring him directly in his eyes. Her own eyes were bloodshot and she looked like she hadn't slept in years.

"Uh.. I-I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just stop talking about him and leave me alone." Her voice was beginning to break, so Carley took her hand and led her away from the others.

"Geez.. She's been a mess since yesterday." Lee muttered as they distanced away, dividing the group.

"Can't exactly blame her." Clem replied.

"No, no you can't." He shook his head, sighing.

"She needs to stop, that attitude isn't going to get us anywhere." Molly stated frustratedly, rolling her eyes.

"Molly, just give her some time." Clementine suggested which helped her calm down a bit.

"I know, I.. I know, kid." Molly sighed, patting the girls hat gently.

"Luke, Pete, do you want to introduce us to the new stragglers you found on the streets and adopted, or..?" A woman, who looked pregnant, asked rudely. Christa ignored her for obvious reasons.

"Rebecca, please. They're with the group from yesterday." Pete said, trying to defend them.

"That's exactly why they can't be here. What if they're working with _him_?" Must be referring to that Carver guy Luke seemed so afraid of.

"I seriously doubt it. You saw how they greeted each other." The presumed leader of the group talked back. Lee certainly felt a comfort from this guy, he seemed nice enough. "Besides, not one communication device, map or even a pencil were on them. How could they relay anything to him?"

"C'mon, Bec, they're-" A chubby, brown man said, being cut off by Rebecca. His name was Alvin.

"You never defend me anymore, do you?" Rebecca turned her head away from him, he appeared to be her husband. He shook his head quickly, causing his glasses to shake.

"I-it's not like that." He muttered with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Whatever. Just don't put your guard down around them." Rebecca told her fellow survivors, waddling back inside the cabin like she was straight out of a teen drama.

"Thanks for the intro, lady! Geez.." Molly called out distastefully, getting a bird back from Rebecca, who was followed by her bigger, somehow softer husband.

"Rebecca's just.. Cautious." Luke spoke with gritted teeth.

"Reasonably enough. Luke, you know we can't afford to trust anyone after what happened." A Spanish man, Carlos, butted in, folding his arms as he crowded around the main group of survivors we had come to know. Lee was beginning to understand the issue, and honestly he couldn't blame the men for thinking like this. Lee and his people had been through a somewhat similar situation with Ben and Travis a long time ago.

"Besides, even if they're not with Carver, they could still be dangerous." A tan man with a ball cap and a slight southern accent added, weighing on the side of caution. Molly was getting sick of this charade and Lee was just about ready to surrender again.

"Weren't you taught any respect, son? God." Pete rolled his eyes.

"I taught myself to be smart before being some noble hero. Looks can be deceiving, Uncle Pete." The young man replied, holding his rifle close to his chest. He kept his finger off the trigger due to events transpiring earlier that morning that warranted everyone to be suspicious of the man holding a weapon of the calibur. Carley and Lee glared at his hand, and he glared back, shaking his head.

"You don't have to remind me. I know you're smart, just.. Leave me to this, alright? Go help someone do something." Pete pleaded, pointing his nephew toward the cabin.

"I'm an adult now. I'll keep watch." The stubborn young adult protested, stepping back a few steps but staying his ground anyways. Pete rolled his eyes.

"Fine. Just relax, Nick."

Suddenly, the door to the cabin opened. Clementine took notice and looked toward it. A girl poked her head out. She was tan, had short black hair and wore red glasses. She looked young. "..Who are they?"

Carlos whipped his head back along with everyone else. "Sarah, what did I say? Stay inside!" She followed his instructions with sadness, the door slowly closing as she left. Carlos sighed, turned back to the group and looked them over. "Come here, you three who just joined. We have to see if you're bitten or hurt in some way, or if you're carrying anything suspicious."

"Uh, sure." Clementine muttered, stepping forward. Carlos checked the three over, confiscating any weapons. Molly glared at Pete as he accepted them. Pete could only frown.

"You will get your weapons back, I assure you. We're just being overly cautious." Pete explained.

"As we should be." Nick cut off.

"Nick! Enough!" Pete scolded, his nephew ignoring him.

"Look, we're sorry to disturb you folks. We just needed a place to rest, then we'd be on our way up north." Lee explained, stepping up above the rest of his group.

"Hey, that's fine." Luke assured. Lee and Molly both liked this guy. He seemed nice, which was quite rare. Same with Pete.

"Or, and this is just a proposition, but you could also stay with us for a while. You'd have to stay in the shed for the day until our house meeting is over, but then you'd be free to stay until your group recuperates from.. Well.. Everything." Pete proposed. Nick didn't like the idea but Carlos wasn't opposed to it.

"We should get going as soon as possible, we can't idle!" Christa urged Lee to side with her, but maybe she was the one who needed a rest most. She already looked like she was ready to weep again.

"A break would be nice. We could all use it." Chuck was obviously always about chilling out, not shortcuts though. Maybe shortcuts to success weren't the true way to success..

"Hm.."

You are playing Lee. Choices:

A: Stay at the cabin.

B: Move on.

Relationships (Lee):

Clementine is extremely happy you're okay. 10/10

Carley isn't focused on you. She appreciates you staying with her, but she's guilty about Omid and worried for Christa. 10/10

Christa is a mess. She's still happy you stayed with her and hopes you'll have sense to move away from these sensitive bastards. 10/10

Molly kinda wants to stay here. She doesn't like a lot of these people, but the group could use a roof, you've been on the route of Wellington without a vehicle for months. 10/10

Chuck shares the same mindset as his best friend. 10/10

Luke likes you, he thinks you're a smart leader, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't scared of you. 6/10

Pete respects you and your group. He'd like you to stick around. 6/10

Carlos isn't too sure about you. 5/10

Sarah barely knows you. 5/10

Nick doesn't seem to want you around. Could be another Larry situation. 5/10

Rebecca's feelings toward you are petty and angry. She doesn't like you or your group at all. 3/10

Alvin seems sympathetic toward you. 5/10

((Sorry for the uh, long wait. Writer's block nipped me along with serious school work. QOTC: Was the cabin group good or trash to you? I liked them a lot and felt like they deserved waaayyyy better.))


	109. The Cabin in the Woods

It was true, more than anything they needed a break. Lee nodded at Pete's proposal. "We could use a break before we head off. Thanks for the offer." The two shook hands, Clem, Chuck and Molly smiled at Lee's choice. Carley couldn't smile now, but she certainly preferred this decision.

"You're kidding me. How can you just trust complete strangers?" Christa was not as happy, but to be fair she had just witnessed strangers rob them of Clems backpack and Omid's life. One of them was even still on the loose.

"They have had every chance to kill us so far, and yet we're still alive." Lee defended, pulling his hand away from Pete. Nick looked pissed and Carlos looked skeptical, but Luke and Pete seemed happy enough.

"That's right. We're good people, we just got precautions." Luke told the grieving woman. She glared at him before her face softened up. She couldn't do this, so she simply turned away, her lip quivering. Carley grabbed her arm and comforted her.

"Which we're sorry about." Pete added, sensing the sadness in the poor woman. There was a silence before Carlos broke it.

"At any rate, the house meeting starts in two hours. It's going to rain tonight, so nobody should be approaching the cabin just yet."

"Hopefully not." Pete replied, watching as Nick pulled his rifle back. He aimed at the group, his finger off the trigger thankfully. The group began walking towards the shed with Pete leading them alongside Luke. Carlos separated back to the cabin.

"Can we get this over with?" Nick muttered, rolling his eyes at how friendly the two closest friends he had were being with these possible thieves, murderers even!

Pete looked back at his nephew. "You gotta be somewhere, son?" No response, so Pete ignored him.

"..I just don't wanna stand out in the rain all day." It was getting quite cloudy. Nick lowered his rifle a bit in response to the death glares he was getting from Clementine and Molly. Eventually, they made it to the shed. It was brown and kinda old looking. Quiet thunder sombered itself into the background, playing like a soft requiem in honor of their fallen comrade. Pete and Luke opened the doors as Nick 'stayed guard'. One by one, they all walked in. Lee and Carley stopped at the door.

"You better explain all of this when we get out." Carley said to the older male. He gave her a sad look, trailing his eyes to his feet to avoid her concerned gaze.

"..I'll explain everything I can, but that doesn't mean I'll explain everything. I'm sorry, it's a complicated affair." His gravelly voice croaked out as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Carley sighed as she walked past them. Lee followed her skeptically. The doors slowly closed behind them, leaving the sad, desperate group alone.

Christa sat down in a corner, softly crying her eyes out. Carley decided to leave her alone, since she figured she's spent enough time with people. Clementine folded her arms and leaned against the wall, whilst Lee joined her. Carley smiled at the eleven year old, patting her head. It was a fake smile, but it made Clem happy to see it.

"So.. what do we do now?" Molly pondered aloud.

"How about you start by telling us what happened after we separated." Lee questioned, hoping to hear that they at least found the town.

"Okay, we found the town." Well, there ya go!

"Really? That's-"

"It was overrun."

Lee's face dropped and he sighed. "..Okay, nevermind."

"We found a dog, he led us to some food and we got to eat." Clementine tried to balance Molly's sarcastic with something optimistic. It got a smile out of her father figure.

"That's good, sweet pea. At least you're not hungry. But goddamn am I starved." He rubbed his stomach, a loud gurgle filling the room came from it.

"They didn't let ya'll eat?" Chuck asked, skeptical since they weren't completely ravenous by now.

"Luke snuck us a few apples, if you can call that a meal." Carley confirmed.

"Damn.." Chuck muttered. Guess they weren't all so trusting after all. It did seem like a big group, they probably need to feed all of them every day.

"Well, I'm sure they'll feed us soon." Clementine said, trying her damndest to lift her depressing group's spirits.

"What happened to you guys after we split?" Molly asked either of the two. Lee ended up responding.

"We got cornered by walkers. Nobody got nabbed, but it was a close call, and we barely escaped. We stumbled through the forest for the rest of the night until we found Pete and Luke hunting."

"It was a total mess. At least nobody else got hurt." Carley added, resting her chin on Lee. The sentence she had just spoken reminded her of the man who just sacrificed his life for her. Eyes were turned to Christa as her sobbing attack subdued, at least a little. Clementine approached her, though only by a foot or so.

"...Christa? Are you okay?" The young girl asked, her voice full of caution and concern. There was no answer, not for an uncomfortable ten seconds. Finally, Christa inhaled, laid down on her side facing the wall, and closed her eyes.

"I… No. Just leave me alone, Clementine." The widow whispered, clutching herself like a teddy bear.

"Oh.. Okay." Clem looked down, understanding her pain. When she found out her parents died, it took months to get over the trauma, and even then she changed drastically since then. She spoke differently, she had a more negative outlook despite still being the second most positive member of the group, and she looked three years older than she really was.

"I guess we could just hang out here until they're done in there. I got cards if y'all wanna play?" Chuck offered, pulling a bunch of playing cards out from his pack. Molly nodded quickly, taking up the offer.

"Actually, I'm gonna try to rest." Carley followed Christa's actions, laying down underneath a shelf that looked.. Sturdy enough. Lee walked up to her.

"I'll gladly join you. These past few days.. They've been exhausting." The leader crawled down on the floor next to his girlfriend, allowing her to snuggle his chest.

"I'll stay up with you guys." Clem preferred hanging with the much chiller Molly and Chuck. They were a much needed break from the other half of the group.

"You sure? You've been up a while." Lee questioned, sitting up with those worried eyes. Clem nearly rolled her eyes.

"I'm fine, Lee. It's okay."

He sighed, nodding in understanding before laying back down. "..Alright."

"Here, shuffle the deck, kid." Molly handed the deck of cards to Clem, turning the notch of a lamp to lighten up the desk they were playing on.

* * *

_An hour and forty minutes later…_

Carlos, Nick, Rebecca, Alvin, Pete and Luke sat around the dining room table, a candle or two lighting up the room. "This house meeting, as I'm sure you all know," Carlos started, taking the lead of this one. "Is about the group currently in the shed."

"Before we get into any debate, I just gotta ask.. Did you see Bill out there at all?" Alvin asked Luke and Pete, his hands twiddling with nervousness. They had meant to ask, but this mess got them confused and stuffed with even more problems.

"No, no I think we gave him the slip." Luke answered.

"We've been out here for an entire month, and I still don't feel safe." Alvin told the group, putting his hand over his face before staring out the window.

"It's a possibility that he's still lookin'. Carver ain't the type of man to give up on us, especially not you." Luke clarified.

"Tch.. All the more reason to get rid of those complete strangers. They could be working with Carver, and you know that." Rebecca accused, already causing Pete to become frustrated. Rolling his eyes, the graying man stood up and began pacing.

"Do you really still think that after all the evidence against that theory? No communication, a map that doesn't even start at Howe's, minimal weapons, a broken group with a pretty believable story to me. Look.. When push comes to shove, and we know it has a high probability of doing so, we're outmatched. Pete, me, Nick, Carlos. That's it. There is no Reggie, the rest of you are either pregnant, willfully unprepared or have priorities set on something greater. If we expand our group, become more defendable, we could actually fight back when Bill comes back." The leader proposed, stopping just short of Rebecca. She glared at him.

Before she could respond, Luke interjected. "You're right, that's something else I was considering."

Rebecca looked to Alvin for support, but he couldn't face her. "To be fair, one of 'em, that woman, was really depressed. I think they said something about her husband. I don't even wanna know how my death would affect you." The teddy bear replied to her anger induced glare.

"Don't even go there, empathy won't work here. I don't empathize with manipulators." The pregnant woman said.

Nick was leaning against the counter, biting his nails out of habit. He developed the habit as a teen and it's never stopped since. He finally spoke up. "I don't know, Bec.. Luke's got a point."

"Finally, you grow some sense." Pete placed his hand on Nick's shoulder, the latter of which pulled back.

"Hey, shut up. I'm just saying.. They didn't seem like bad people. I think we might have jumped the gun. Besides, Pete makes a good point, Bill's bat shit crazy."

"That's what I'm saying! They seem like skilled survivors with good hearts, nothin' devious." Luke agreed, looking at the lanky man with a genuine smile. Nick smiled back.

"I can't believe you guys are actually considering letting them go." Rebecca begrudgingly butted in.

"Actually, we were considering letting them stay." Pete corrected. The curly haired woman looked like she was going to rip his head off. Carlos broke between the two with words alone.

"With that all said, what is everyone's vote?" Those words meant a vote was now in session.

"I vote we let 'em stay. You know my reasons." Pete stated.

"I agree." Nick raised his hand.

"I'm with Pete, we could use good folks." Luke told them.

Alvin hesitated before speaking up. "I.. I don't know. I abstain."

"Alvin-" Rebecca was about to scold him, when Carlos, once again, interjected.

"Silence is a valid option. That's fine. I vote to let them stay." The Spanish doctor said.

"They go, I don't care if my vote doesn't matter. I'd watch my ass if I were you guys." Rebecca began leaving the room, opening the kitchen door to head to the living room.

"Babe, come on." Alvin tried following her, but she sternly turned her heel and faced him with furrowed brows.

"Stay away, I need some air." SLAM. The room was left silent.

"Dinners ready in case anyone wants any. Nick and I will go grab the survivors in the shed, y'all set the table." Luke grabbed his machete and sheath, taking a bowl of butter beans as he headed for the door.

"I'm going to go check up on Sarah. It's nearly her bed time. They can sleep in the living room for tonight." Carlos headed out the door, but stopped at it and turned back. "If we're wrong about this.. Nevermind." And with that ominous sentence, he left. Luke and Nick shrugged at each other.

Meanwhile, Rebecca had gone upstairs, heading for the bathroom. She closed and locked the door behind herself, beginning to cradle her own body in her arms. "Oh.. Oh god.." She grunted, a series of pains hitting her nether regions. Her hands caught the bathroom sink, and she looked up in the mirror to see herself.

"Let it be okay.. And let it be his."

* * *

Clementine watched as Chuck single handedly destroyed Molly in a game of war. "Nice one, gramps. I guess wiseness comes in handy even in a game of luck."

"Yeah, not going to lie, this game takes no skill." The guitarist chuckled, shaking his head as he began putting away the cards. They were all getting sleepy, despite the grumbling in their stomachs.

"Still pretty fun though." Clementine replied, rubbing her eyes.

"Agreed, kid." Molly smiled sadly, realizing the hunger must be pretty bad on Clementine, despite the earlier snack.

The door to the shed opened, causing anyone who was sleeping, Lee, Christa and Carley, to jolt up and stare at the outside world. It was raining a bit, but Luke protected the one bowl he brought out under his shirt. He brought it to show to the survivors he was serious. "Hey, we brought you some food if you're hungry! You can eat inside the cabin, or if you still don't trust us, you can eat in here. Your call."

Lee liked this idea, but what if they still weren't welcome? Christa slowly sat back down in the corner, shaking her head at the proposal, while Carley looked at Lee for a reply. "Yeah, we'll go! I'm starved!" Molly exclaimed, taking the bowl from Luke before furiously devouring it. The red head chuckled, Nick cracked a smile.

"How about the rest of ya?" Luke asked.

"Yes please." Clementine answered, stepping forward. Lee bit his lip, now this was a difficult choice. He might as well accept the offer to.

"Sure, I'd love something to eat." Lee walked next to Clementine, his stomach knocking on his metaphorical door for something to quench his hunger.

"What about Christa?" Carley questioned the leader, pulling on his arm to point at the woman. Lee looked back, as well as the rest of the group. The woman didn't spare a glance.

Choices:

A: Tell her to come with

B: Leave her

C: Ask her if she'd like to come.

Relationships:

Clem is honestly pretty happy you stayed at the cabin, she thinks these people could be nice, plus she doesn't want to die. 10/10

Carley likes this plan, but know what affect this will have on Christa. 10/10

Christa doesn't agree with this plan at all. She's lost a bit of faith in you. 8/10

Chuck is more than cool with your choice, he knows you always make the best judgements. 10/10

Molly also agrees. She personally doesn't care what Christa thinks, especially if she's going to be" all selfish." 10/10

Luke likes that you decided to stay, even if everyone else seems a touch skeptical. 7/10

Pete feels that you're a smart, caring guy and wants you to stay longer. 7/10

Carlos has a feeling you're safe, but doesn't exactly trust you. 5/10

Sarah barely knows you. 5/10

Nick seems to have come around and at least trusts you thanks to Pete's convincing. 6/10

Rebecca really doesn't like your choice. 2/10

Alvin seems sympathetic towards you, he doesn't mind that you're staying a bit longer, even if he tries to hide it. 6/10

((QOTC: Is there any cut content from any season you'd like to see in this story?))


	110. Reluctance

Lee accepted that Christa had a voice too. He walked toward her, looking down at her with sympathy and worry. "Christa.. Uh, would you rather stay here or grab something to eat? I think you could use some food and a warmer place to stay, but I won't force you to come."

Christa looked up at him for only a second before turning her head to the side. Bitterly, she replied. "I'll be fine. Leave me be."

Carley kneeled down next to her, offered her hand and said nothing more. Christa sighed, shaking her head. "Fine." She stood up slowly. Carley tried to smile at her but Christa kept her eyes glued to the ground, folding her arms. Luke and Nick turned back towards the cabin.

"Let's go." The southern man who had been so kind to the group directed, walking out to the cabin. Nick slowed down to walk next to the group, attempting to form the right words for an apology.

"So uh.." He began, catching the attention of most of the group, save Christa. "I just wanted to apologize for.. Well, being a dick back there."

"Well, maybe next time don't be such an ass to complete strangers who are still grieving, have no shelter and no food."

"Relax. He's better than a lot of other assholes. For one, he apologized." Lee replied to Molly's bratty attitude.

"..Yeah. I just.. I lost my mom a few months ago and it's.. It's taken a toll." Nick's hat was soaked in rain, dried up blood and haunting memories. Kinda like a certain eleven year old's.

"We all know what that's like." Chuck sadly said, the rain poking through the holes on his new torn up jacket.

"I just hope you can forgive me is all." He looked at Christa, knowing he wasn't gonna get shit out of her. Then, he looked down at Clementine, who had been staring at him with a complicated look. Lee was right, he did apologize.. But he was an absolute dick before and seemed like kind of a wreck. She was once like that, so she could still empathize, but at the same time she wasn't sure how to feel. "Sorry, I don't think I got your name."

"Clementine."

"I'm Nick." He tried to give a friendly smile, and although it looked goofy as hell, it also looked kind of cute.

Choices:

A: I accept your apology by the way.

B: Nick the dick.

C: I'm sorry about your mom.

D: Nice to meet you.

Relationships (You are Clementine):

You think Lee had a nice approach to letting Christa decide what she should do. He seems unreasonably worried about you. 10/10

Carley thinks you're already too old for your body, mentally you're mature and respectable. She also thinks you're a decent shot and the light of the group at the moment. 10/10

Chuck is glad to have a good sport on his team like you. 10/10

Molly thinks you're holding up good, but she seems mad. It's for good reason and not directed towards you, thankfully. 10/10

Christa likes you, but doesn't like people. 8/10

Luke seems to like you quite a bit, plus he advocated for your group alongside Pete. You don't know him too well though. 6/10

Pete is in the same boat as Luke, though he seems smarter. 6/10

Rebecca is still pissed about the vote. Just because you're a little girl doesn't mean she won't go easy on you. 2/10

Alvin feels bad for you and actually likes the outcome of the vote. 6/10

Carlos isn't sure how to feel about you, but Luke and Pete's plan isn't a bad one. 5/10

Sarah barely knows you. 5/10

((Sorry for ANOTHER delay and a short chapter, but I only recently got back into TWD, so expect more frequent uploads this time around. QOTC: On the topic of gameplay, are you satisfied with TWDG? Season one had decent gameplay to me while season two and three felt mindless and season four was definitely a step in the right direction.))


	111. A Nice Dinner

Clem tried to give a happy smile back, despite the clearly very mediocre situation. At least they were helping. "I'm sorry about your mom. My mom died too. Same with my dad.. I miss them a lot." She looked down at the muddy, dirty ground. Luke spared a sad glance. Nick winced and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I.. I can't imagine. I'm gonna try and be a bit more sensitive. Thank you, Clem, and.. I'm sorry."

She smiled at him. "Don't worry about it. It happens to everyone."

"It happened to Lee and I. They were good people." Carley spoke up, simply trying to make the man feel better.

"I'm sure I ain't the only one. Anyways, that's all I wanted to say. I hope you guys find what you're lookin' for here." Nick picked up his pace, heading inside the house before anyone else.

"That guy is such a Ben." Chuck said, shaking his head.

"A Ben?" Luke questioned.

"This kid who used to run with us. He was a fuck up, but pretty innocent despite the fact." Molly explained. Luke nodded, but felt like it was wrong to let them assume that was all he was.

"Nick.. Can definitely step over the line. I wouldn't call him a fuck up or a dick though. Just.. Sad. He'll get over it, I've known him since we were kids. He always gets back up, even if it is as slow as a lurker."

Lee was surprised that two guys who had known each other for that long were still alive together. "Really? That's rare nowadays." He commented.

"We got lucky.. His uncle's a cool guy too. He picked us up at our business the day things started goin' south." The group arrived at the cabin. Luke opened the door for them, handing the bowl he was protecting to Christa. She hesitantly took it without a word, following the rest of her group inside the small, wooden abode.

The rest of the cabin group was nowhere to be seen, save for a teenage girl sitting at the stairs, watching the group as they went into the kitchen. Clem noticed her, but said nothing. Carlos was in the kitchen with Pete, washing up. Five bowls of beans sat on the large dining table in the center of the kitchen. A symphony of grumbles came from the group's stomachs- including Christa.

"I'll assume that means dinner is wanted. I'm a damn good cook, but if you have criticism, don't hold any punches." Pete joked, heading for the door. Lee shook his head, stifling a laugh. God, he missed humor like that.. Even Carley found that funny. Clementine smiled at him as he walked out.

"Mind if I join y'all? I haven't eaten yet." Luke requested, placing his bowl down across from where Lee was seating himself. They even had cups of water next to the food, real water! Nearly the entire group licked their lips.

"Not at all. It's your home." Chuck spoke for the group, who were already digging in before him.

"Mm, fuck!~ This is soooo good!" The red hooded girl cooed.

"Either that or you're hungry." Carlos suddenly butted in. Molly ignored him and continued scarfing her plate down. The Spanish doctor gave Luke's shoulder a touch, leaning close to him. Clem and Lee stared skeptically at him, though he didn't notice. He mumbled something inaudible before heading out. "Sarah, what are you doing here? It's time for bed."

"Okay dad.." The female from earliest voice could be heard distantly. Clem had to admit, the idea of another kid her age being here was quite exciting. She began scooping up her food, letting out moans of satisfaction as the sticky beans hit her taste buds.

Lee looked up at Luke as he swallowed, catching the man's eyes on his arm, or lack thereof. "Caught ya staring."

"Sorry.. I've never met anyone with a gnarly stump like that. How did it happen?"

"It's.. A long story." Lee answered hesitantly, continuing to eat.

"It was a shit show." Carley added, rubbing her lovers scruffy, dark hair.

"Uh, yeah, duh." He replied with a sarcastic eye roll. Luke enjoyed their humility.

"A shit show that ended with a walker bite and a chopped arm." Molly said between mouthfuls of food.

"Yeah, pretty much." The ex teacher agreed.

"So.. What Pete said is true?" The southerner wondered. Lee nodded.

"Yeah. But, don't ever test that hypothesis out yourself."

"I'll try not to. How long have y'all been together?"

"Two years.. I think. The newest member was Molly who joined two years ago, same with Chuck and Christa. The rest of us joined in the first three months." The leader explained.

"You're survivors, that's for sure." Luke complimented.

"There used to be more of us. Duck, Kenny, Ben, Katjaa, Lilly, Larry.." Clementine listed, intentionally avoiding-

"...Omid."

Yeah.. Him. The room went quiet, aside from the storm outside and the sound of spoons clanking against glass bowls. Christa pulled out her chair, she had surprisingly eaten most of her food already. She brought the plate to the sink before walking to the living room. She stopped at the door. "Lee, we need to talk. Tomorrow." And then she left. The group looked at Lee, but he just shrugged.

"I'm worried for her.. She seems broken, and broken people get reckless."

"She.. She needs time to heal. It's been a day since her one and only love was killed. He.. He took a fucking bullet for me. I feel awful about it."

"Is that why you're helpin' her? Survivor's guilt?"

"I.. I guess. I care about Christa, I've trusted her ever since the day we met her, and even more after she helped with Lee's operation, but.. Yeah, survivor's guilt makes sense." She looked at her hands, cracking a smile. "I think I've been through this before, actually.. Doug, during those first three months. He was someone who died because of my foolishness. If it wasn't for me, he might still be here."

"Hey, I thought we got over that? Your demon for mine." Lee placed his hand over hers, holding onto her tightly. She smiled, looking deep into his eyes.

"We did.. It's just hard to rid yourselves of demons, I guess."

Luke decided to start a new topic. "I certainly got my fair share. I started up a shitty business in selling.. Oh god.." He was beginning to turn red, getting an intrigued look from Molly and Clem.

"Selling what?" The eleven year old badass questioned.

"Spill it, bud. We've given you more than enough answers." The blonde parkour specialist ordered, a dumb smirk on her face.

Luke finally caved.. "..I sold 'sex potions'." He waited for the group to stop snickering at the ridiculous name to continue. Clem just winced and rolled her eyes. "Nick and I, after college, we invested in some liquor company. I thought it would be a good idea, and my old man was a stickler for hard work."

"Did you have a slogan? Because, I already don't want any." The used to be homeless man asked.

"Yeah, you see it was a really fucking stupid one too. 'Your balls will thank you', some shit like that. That was forever ago. We ended up crashing the business to the ground in a week."

"Gee, I wonder how that happened." Chuck humored the man, interested in how this tale ended.

"Oh that's simple, Nick and I got drunk on our supply. We thought, 'We were drunk when we thought it up, we'll work better wasted.' We did not."

The group was actually giggling for once in forever. Luke had a big grin on his face as Clementine called him gross. "I'm fully aware, Clem."

Pete entered the room following the laughter, holding up a lantern. It seemed to have gotten darker outside and inside. "I like the sound of laughing, haven't heard it in a while."

"You're telling us." The ex reporter replied, smiling honestly for once this week.

"Well, it's time for bed. Tomorrow morning, me and Nick were thinking of going fishing for some brookies, have fresh fish for dinner. Anyone interested in coming with?"

"I wouldn't mind going!" Clem volunteered, still not done with her food. Everyone else was finished at this point.

"Yeah, I think I'll go too. I could use some fresh air with the new people, and my favorite niece." Molly said, giving Clem a noogie before heading for the living room.

"Gotcha. The rest of you should stay here and make friendly with the group." Pete advised, heading for the door. "Goodnight!" The group reciprocated his parting words.

"Alright then.. Clem, we'll be in the living room, come in as soon as you're finished, okay?" Lee ordered, kneeling down to her after putting away his dirty dish. "Goodnight, sweet pea."

"I know. Goodnight, Lee." He gave her a peck on the cheek, his full beard tickling her face before he stood up and left. Clementine focused her attention on the food, there wasn't much left but she was a growing girl, and in this case she was starving. She was alone, but that didn't bother her much. Pete left the lantern in here so there was at least a little light. As she finished up her food, she heard the back door open. She turned around to see a pregnant woman glaring at her.

"Oh, you're still here." She wickedly pressed, walking towards the door. Clem ignored her. Rebecca paused before turning to the girl.

"I hope you know that I don't want you here."

Clem sighed and gave in. "I'm just a little girl."

"You and your group. You can't pull your invasion shit on me." Rebecca spat back.

"Think what you want, we're good people." Clem scooped up the last of her beans, chewing slowly on them as she avoided eye contact.

"I don't care what you say, Carver's people claim the same thing."

"I don't even know who that is."

"Sure." Rebecca rolled her eyes, about to leave for the living room. A light bulb went off inside Clem's head, a certain sentence that would establish her dominance over the queen Bee who made herself seem so tough. But should she say it?

Choices:

A: Is that baby REALLY Alvin's? (You have no evidence that it isn't)

B: You should probably think about being nicer to me.

C: Let her go.

Relationships (Clementine):

Nick appreciates your apology. He sees you as quite mature and will make an effort to be more cautious around you. 6/10

Lee is glad to see you being nice, but he wouldn't have cared if you were rude. 10/10

Carley is glad you're growing up right. 10/10

Christa was happy to eat, but she's suspicious of this new group. She thinks you're just as sweet and gullible as you were a year or two ago. 8/10

Chuck appreciates your kindness and forgiveness. 10/10

Molly would have personally gone for something more insulting. 10/10

Luke is glad to see you're friendly towards people, even after they've made mistakes. 7/10

Pete heard you were friendly to his nephew. He won't forget that. 8/10

Carlos seems nice, if not a bit.. Suspicious. 5/10

You still barely know Sarah. 5/10

Alvin seems nice, but you've barely spoken to him. 6/10

Rebecca sure as hell doesn't like you now, what's a little dominance establishing gonna do? 2/10

((QOTC: If you had to have one Walking Dead character as a father, one as a mother and one as an uncle, who would they be? Father Louis, mother Clementine and uncle Chuck please and thank you.))


	112. Sarah

Before Rebecca could leave, Clementine glared at her, tilted her hat down in hesitation before simply sighing, letting her go. If she were to piss her off even more, that wouldn't really help her group's case. Might as well play nice with the witch. She tossed her plate in the sink, tiredly making her way to the living room, where she laid down next to Lee and Carley. She noticed that Christa was breathing irregularly, but decided to leave her alone. She fell asleep in her guardian's arms.

The next morning, breakfast came. It was a bit awkward since the whole group was here this time, but it wasn't too bad. Her group kept things light, or tried to. "So then I was attacked by a walker, and that's when Clementine came to my rescue." Oh yeah, Lee was telling the story of how him and Clementine met, since Carlos was genuinely curious. Everyone was listening, minus Christa and Rebecca, who were actually just glaring at each other. This girl next to Clementine, the one named Sarah, was quiet the entire morning until her dad left the table to go outside for a leak.

"Wow.. That story is so cool. I'm Sarah." The teenage girl whispered. Clem looked up at her and felt weird. She didn't see many girls her age before.

"Uh, hi. I'm Clementine." She greeted back, taking a bite of her toast.

"You're really able to do that?" Sarah asked, referring to the hammer story. Clem looked at her weirdly, did this girl really not know people could do that?

"Yeah, I had to rough it ever since the walkers started. I spent the first two days in my treehouse."

"Sounds scary. My dad took us to his friends, but we ended up moving out. That's how we met Luke and the others."

"So, you've had to kill too, right? What was your first like?" It was a weird question, but to be fair this wasn't like the times with Duck, before she ever had a walker kill.. Or a human one.

Sarah seemed disturbed by this question, her expression seeming taken aback. "Huh? Kill? Why would I ever do that?"

"...To survive?" Clem said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, which it was.

"No, I haven't. We're safe out here, no one ever comes to hurt me." Something was up with this kid.

"Uh.. Alright then." Clem resumed eating.

"Hey, how old are you?" The nerdy girl questioned.

"I'm eleven." She answered after swallowing.

"I'm fifteen. It's been so long since I've met someone my age!" Sarah exclaimed.

"We're not the same age.. You're way older than me."

"Well, I'm still a kid. There are also like, no girls here. Rebecca is cool, but she's super old, and if her baby is a girl, by the time I can talk to her, I'll be old too. Everyone else are old guys, and I don't know your group well, but almost everyone in it is old-"

"Alright, I get it." Clem could feel herself getting a headache. She had never met anyone so.. Talkative since Duck. It was actually kinda nice, even if it was annoying.

"Sorry, I'm just excited."

"It's alright, I get it." There was a silence between the two for the moment, the rest of the table still chatting away about the plans for later.

"Can we maybe.. Be friends?" Sarah spoke out of nowhere. Clem looked at her and hesitantly nodded.

"Sure. We just met though, so-"

"Really?! You have to pinky swear that we're friends."

"I- what?"

Sarah held out her pinky, awaiting for the girl to accept the gesture. Clementine barely knew this girl, should she really make such a commitment so early? Pinky swears and 'friendship' seemed really important to this girl. It could be a good investment, or a pain in the ass.

Choices:

A: Pinky swear with Sarah

B: Respectfully decline.

Relationships:

Lee: 10/10

Carley: 10/10

Chuck: 10/10

Christa: 8/10

Molly: 10/10

Luke: 7/10

Pete: 7/10

Nick: 7/10 (For apologizing)

Carlos: 5/10

Sarah: 6/10 (You've gotten to know her)

Alvin: 6/10 (He respects that you left his wife alone)

Rebecca: 2/10 (Her opinion of you is unchanged)

* * *

Meanwhile, Lee was talking to Pete about today's plans. He noticed Clementine and Carlos' girl were talking and decided to leave them alone, moving to the Spaniards seat. "Hey, guys."

"Hey, Lee." Pete replied, turning his attention back to his nephew.

"So, the girls comin'?" Nick questioned, giving her the occasion glance. She was always with that old guy. 'Is that her dad or something?' He thought to himself.

"Yeah, why? You afraid of her?" The dark skinned man asked.

"No, I'm just.. Worried it's gonna be awkward. The rest of your group seems to have forgiven me, but she still seems like she's ticked off." The young man stammered. Molly looked in his direction for a second, an obvious frown on her face. Then, she got up and left for the back door.

"You did make everything just a little bit worse." Pete muttered.

"I apologized!" Nick argued with a hint of blush on his cheeks.

"Let me tell you, apologizing doesn't solve every problem." Luke suddenly added as he finished his breakfast.

"I.. I know." Alvin appeared a few seconds after the conversation seemingly finished. He was listening the whole time, since he wasn't too far from them at the table. "What's up, Alvin?"

"What you said.. That gives me an idea. Since Bec is kinda ticked off at me for yesterday, I was thinking.. Lee, you should come with me on a hunting trip." The chubby man suggested.

"Hunting? Sure, I don't mind. You'll take care of Clementine, right?" Lee asked Pete as he climbed out of his seat.

"Of course I will, though the little girl will have not only three people, but also her tough as nails self. If you ask me, she doesn't need protection." The leader of the group told the other leader.

"Without a weapon, she might. You think you can give us our guns back soon?"

"Not yet. I trust ya, but not everyone is at that point yet. Sorry, Lee."

Lee rolled his eyes. "Hmph.. How am I supposed to help you hunt without a gun?" He asked Alvin, who seemed just as confused about that question as Lee. When Pete was focused on putting Lee's dish away, Alvin mouthed a quick 'You can have one.' Lee smiled and winked. Luke and Nick were still eating, and thus didn't notice.

"You can uh.. Be lookout." Alvin told the man.

"Okay then.." Lee said in his best disappointed impression.

"Wait, what does that have to do with what we were talking about?" Nick asked.

"Oh, nothing. You're on your own there." Alvin chuckled, patting the kid on the shoulder before heading for the door. "Meet me outside when you finish breakfast, I'll tell Bec where we're going. Have a safe trip, Pete."

"Will do." And breakfast was shortly there after, wrapped up.

As Lee got ready to leave, he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see Christa. "Oh, hey, Christa.. What's up? Are you feeling okay?"

"Just.. Listen to this, okay?"

"Okay.."

"I don't trust these people. Last night, that doctor guy whispered to Luke about something, something about sugarcoating, that added up with the 'Carver' secret and it all sounds like a booby trap. We need to leave for Wellington as soon as you get back. I know what you said yesterday about staying here, but I'm serious." Christa had been showing off worrying behavior all day and yesterday.. Can she really be trusted with any important decisions, or is her paranoia justified?

Choices:

A: "Calm down, we're staying here. We'll die on the road unless we catch our bearings."

B: We'll leave eventually, but now isn't the time. Maybe in a week?

C: We can leave tomorrow.

D: We'll leave as soon as I come back.

Relationships:

Clementine: 10/10

Christa: 9/10 (She likes that you asked for her opinion instead of forcing her into anything)

Carley: 10/10 (Carley also liked what you did when it came to the Christa scenario)

Chuck: 10/10

Molly: 10/10

Luke: 7/10

Pete: 7/10

Nick: 7/10 (For apologizing)

Alvin: 7/10 (He feels bad for you and your group)

Rebecca: 2/10

Carlos: 5/10

Sarah: 5/10

((Note, vote for BOTH choices within this chapter in one review, or in separate reviews. Thank you. QOTC: Which cabin group member is your least favorite, and which is your favorite? My favorite is actually Pete because he seemed the smartest, tied with Alvin for being a cool ass dude. My least favorite is Sarah, for.. Reasons I'll get into next QOTC.))


End file.
